Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2006  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/conquestofnewmexOOcookrich 


i 


THE   CONQUEST    ^ 


OP 


mW  MEXICO  AND  CALIFOMIA 


AN  HISTORICAL  AND  PERSONAL  NARRATIVE. 


By  p.  ST.  GEO.  COOKE, 


BRIGADIER,    BREVET   MAJOR-GENERAL,    U.    S.    A. 


'SCENES   AND    ADVENTURES   IN   THE    ARMY;   OR,  ROxMANCE 
OF    MILITARY    LIFE,"    etc. 


NEW     YORK 

G.    P-.    PUTNAM'S     SONS 

182  Fifth  Avenue 

1878 


€^05 


Cofo.  B. 


Copyright  by  G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons,  1878. 


CONTENTS 


New  Mexico         ......       i 

11. 

The  Insurrection  in  New  Mexico  and  the  final 
Conquest        .  .  .  .  .  .in 


III. 
The  Infantry  March  to  the  Pacific 


125 


IV. 


%  California. 


198 


V. 

Final  Conquest  of  California 


263 


(^S-^Cr 


PREFACE. 


THE  first  historical  nari-ative  of  the  Con- 
quests of  New  Mexico  and  CaHfornia, 
is  here  offered  to  the  pubHc. 

They  were  conquests  as  much  of  Nature's 
most  inhospitable  wastes,  as  of  those  primi- 
tive and  isolated  communities,  and  so  exhib- 
ited great  privations  and  labors ;  but  some 
perilous  ventures  and  exploits  tinctured  the 
whole  with  the  old  romance  of  the  oriorinal 
Spanish  invaders. 

The  conquerors  were,  for  a  year,  almost 
beyond  communication  with  government  or 
countrymen,  and  these  were  wholly  interested 
in  the  battles  in  Mexico  ;  and  thus  it  hap- 
pened that  a  few  soldiers  and  sailors,  without 


IV  ^  PREFACE. 

symp^Hy  or  applause,  achieved  the  only  per- 
ma^WJe5t  fruits  of  the  war. 

This  obscurity,  and  the  remoteness  of  re- 
sponsibility, led  also  to  criminal  intrigues  as 
well  as  to  patriotic  sacrifices  ;  and  the  time 
has  come  to  give  the  world  a  connected  and 
permanent  record. 


THE    CONQUEST    OF 
NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA. 


I. 

NEW   MEXICO. 


k 

^^^^  TOTWITHSTANDING    the    country   by   the 

L  ^     policy  and  measures  of  the  executive  branch 

if    the   government    had    for    many   months    been 

urely  drifting  toward  war  with  Mexico,  the  pubHc 

VcLS  electrified   by  the   news   of  a   collision  of  arms 

^nd  brilliant  victories  at  Palo  Alto  and  Resaca  de 

a  Palma,  May   8th  and   9th,  1846.     Thus  was   ter- 

ninated, — "  By  the  act  of  the  Republic  of  Mexico," 

Congress  declared  on  the    13th  of  May — our  peace 

yith  all  the  world,  which  had  continued  so  long  that 

ffe  had  begun  to  look  upon  war  as  a  chimera. 

The  first  plans  of  the  government  were  promptly 
developed  :  General  Taylor  crossed  the  Rio  Grande 

tand  advanced  with   his   army  of  "  occupation  "   on 


2  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

the  long  line  toward  the  city  of  Mexico  ;  General 
Wool  formed  a  column  at  San  Antonio,  Texas,  for 
the  invasion  of  Chihuahua;  and  Colonel  Kearny, 
First  Dragoons,  organized  a  small  force  at  Fort 
Leavenworth,  Kansas,  for  the  conquest  of  New 
Mexico,  and  ultimately  of  California.  He  marched 
June  30th. 

Company  F.  Third  Artillery  sailed  July  14th, 
from  New  York  for  CaHfornia ;  and  in  September  a 
regiment  of  New  York  Infantry  Volunteers,  Colonel 
Stevenson,  also  embarked  for  that  destination ; 
(They  all  arrived  the  following  year). 

Later  a  regiment  of  Missouri  mounted  volun- 
teers, Colonel  Price,  was  organized  and  marched 
early  in  the  fall  for  Santa  Fb, 

Colonel  Kearny  had  sent  Captain  James  Allen, 
First  Dragoons,  to  meet  near  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa, 
the  migration  westward  of  the  Mormon  community, 
which  had  shortly  before  been  expelled  from 
Nauvoo,  IlUnois ;  he  was  instructed  to  enroll  a 
battaUon  of  five  hundred,  to  be  organized  under 
him  as  Lieutenant  Colonel,  at  Fort  Leavenworth; 
and  to  follow  the  army  to  Santa  F^.  And,  finally. 
Colonel   Kearny  had  *'  demanded  "  two   additional 


NEW    MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  3 

troops  of  first  dragoons,  on  the  Upper  Mississippi, 
which  had  been  ordered  to  the  seat  of  war  at  the 
South,  should  follow  and  report  to  him.  And 
accordingly  on  reaching  St.  Louis  together,  they 
encountered  an  order  to  that  effect. 

Their  captains  were  E.  V.  Sumner  and  the 
writer  ;  and  they  were  inexpressibly  disappointed. 
New  Mexico  was  then  supposed  to  be  the  only 
objective   of  this   column. 

We  embarked  for  Fort  Leavenworth,  and 
marched  from  there  July  6th. 

I  find  the  following  in  my  diary  for  July  2 1st. 
**  The  howls  of  wolves,  in  which  I  ever  took  a  sin- 
gular pleasure,  swelling  upon  the  night  breeze,  set 
my  pen  in  motion.  This  has  been  a  jolly  day  for 
Mark  Tapleys — a  very  hot  and  still  day  with  swarms 
of  horse  flies.  I  came  ahead  to  hunt,  (a  solitary 
heron  was  all  I  saw  larger  than  a  fly,)  and  I  was 
forced  to  stop,  dismount  and  brush  my  horse  vigor- 
ously for  a  half  hour,  until  the  column  came  up  to 
make  the  fight  more  equal.  Then  a  slight  air  from 
behind  brought  with  us  a  cloud  of  dust.  We  turned 
off,  near  a  mile,  over  rough  ground  it  happened,  to 
*  noon  '   at  the  bank  of  the  Arkansas  (it  is  a  horrid 


4  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

practice).  After  that  a  storm  threatened,  and  the 
wind  shifted  right  ahead,  which  for  dust  was  nearly 
as  bad  ;  and  finally  it  came  with  a  great  blast  from 
the  North,  which  fairly  blew  us,  for  a  moment,  out 
of  the  road  ! 

"  Now  the  thunders  are  rolling  and  promise  a  wet 
night,  to  which  we  are  well  nigh  hardened.  A  week 
ago  we  had  very  severe  hail,  which  stampeded  the 
horses,  and  one  was  lost.  Writing  back,  I  may 
mention  that  one  day  we  passed  through  vast  mul- 
titudes of  buffaloes  ;  the  next  day  there  were  many, 
and  since  very  few.  A  horse  and  some  mules, 
allowed  to  run  loose  on  the  march,  effectually 
knocked  up,  we  thought,  took,  very  late  in  Hfe,  a 
fancy  for  freedom,  and  ran  off  with  a  herd  of  buffalo  ; 
they  were  with  difficulty  recovered  after  a  chase  of 
six  miles  !" 

July  2W1. — Rain  or  shine,  we  have  averaged 
28  miles  !  Another  dull  week,  but  why  not  mention 
that  our  prairie  and  muddy  river  monotony  was 
relieved  by  not  unpleasant  reminiscences  to  me,  as 
we  passed  at  100°  W.  Lon.  near,  but  on  the  south 
side,  that  rare  feature,  a  small  grove  to  which  the 
writer  three  years  ago,  had,  of  right,  given  a  name — 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  5 

Jackson's  Grove,  for  there  in  emulation  of  that  great 
soldier's  decision  he  had  crossed  a  force  through  the 
flooded  Arkansas  into  doubtful  territory  of  unsur- 
veyed  boundaries,  to  attack  and  disarm  two  hun- 
dred men,  the  ''Army  of  Texas,"  who  lay  in  wait  to 
capture  large  Mexican  caravans,  as  soon  as  they 
should  pass  the  river  above,  from  under  his  escort. 
Citizens  of  a  territory  on  which  he  now  marched 
with  military  impartiality,  to  make  war  in  their  turn  ! 

And  forty  or  fifty  miles  on,  we  passed  by 
**  Chouteau's  Island "  where,  when  quite  a  youth, 
he  made  first  acquaintance  with  those  savage 
Scythians,  the  Comanches,  and  had  the  fortune, 
detached  with  thirty  veteran  infantry,  to  face  and 
break  the  charge  of  full  five  hundred,  while  a  six- 
pounder  sent  round  shot  above  his  head. 

July  2>^st. — Most  pleasant  it  was  to-day  to 
come  in  sight  of  the  white  tents  of  the  army,  spread 
out  in  the  green  meadows  of  the  river;  a  multitude 
of  animals  grazing  ;  the  life  and  stir  of  preparation  ; 
mounted  orderlies  in  motion  ;  old  friends  flocking 
out  with  smiles  of  welcome." 

August  \st. — '  The  army  of  the  West '  consists 
of  a  regiment   of  cavalry,  two   batteries   of  horse 


6  THE  CONQUEST  OF 

artillery,  two  companies  of  infantry — all  raw  vol- 
unteers,— and  six  troops  of  First  Dragoons,  U.  S. 
A. ;  about  seventeen  hundred  rank  and  file. 

The  march  is  ordered  for  to-morrow.  Our  camp 
is  about  nine  miles  below  '*  Bent's  Fort,"  a  trading 
post  which  has  become  more  familiar  by  name  than 
any  national  forts  ;  and  is  in  reality  the  only  fort 
at  the  West. 

About  noon  I  was  sent  for,  and  the  general 
greatly  surprised  me  by  a  proposition  that  I  should 
set  out  in  advance,  with  a  flag  of  truce  to  Santa  Fe, 
some  three  hundred  miles. 

In  our  conversation,  he  assured  me  that  he 
attached  much  importance  to  it — that  he  had 
waited  for  me  ;  and  otherwise  would  have  sent  his 
chief  of  staff;  that  if  there  should  be  fighting,  I 
would  undoubtedly  return  and  meet  him  before  it 
began.  * 

I  go  to-morrow,  with  twelve  picked  men  of  my 
troop.  Mr.  James  Magoffin  of  Kentucky  and  Sefior 
Gonzales  of  Chihuahua  have  permission  to  accom- 
pany me — both  merchants  of  caravans,  which  rather 
singularly,  are  now  journeying  to  New  Mexico, 
and  beyond. 


^ 


NEW    MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  J 

August  2d. — I  set  out  at  the  same  hour  the  army 
marched,  and  fell  in  with  the  general  at  its  head  ; 
and  so  rode  with  him  to  Bent's  Fort.  My  mission 
was  not  soothing  to  the  regret  at  being  turned  aside 
from  the  stirring  war  scenes  at  the  south  ;  it  was  in 
fact  a  pacific  one.  The  general  had  just  issued  a" 
proclamation  of  annexation  of  all  the  territory  east  of 
the  Rio  Grande  ;  the  government  thus  adopting  the 
old  claim  of  Texas  ;  and  thus,  manifestly,  in  a  states- 
man's view,  a  bloodless  process  would  lead  to  its 
confirmation  in  the  treaty  of  peace ;  and  the  pop- 
ulation would  be  saved  from  the  bitterness  of  passing 
sub  jugum.  The  difficulty  of  a  half  measure  re- 
mains ;  it  cuts  the  isolated  province  in  two  !  there 
must  be    an    influential  Micawber    in    the  Cabinet.^ 

At  a  plaintive  compliment,  that  I  went  to  plant 
the  olive,  which  he  would  reap  a  laurel,  the  general 
endeavored  to  gloss  the  barren  field  of  toil,  to  which 
his  subordinates  at  least,  were  devoted  ;  and  rather 
unsuccessful,  he  then  revealed  his  ulterior  instruc- 
tions for  the  conquest  of  California.  He  had  been 
promised  the  grade  of  brigadier  general,  to  date 
with  the  march  for  that  territory.  A  regiment  or 
two  would  follow  us  to  New  Mexico. 


8  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

New  deserts  to  conquer  !  That  was  giving  to 
our  monotonous  toils  a  grandeur  of  scale  that  tinc- 
tured them  with  adventure  and  excitement. 

At  the  Fort  I  stopped  to  procure  a  pack  mule. 
I  found  it  excessively  crowded ;  a  focus  of  business 
and  curiosity:  it  is  the  land  of  Scythian  Comanches, 
the  audacious  Cheyennes,  here  were  many  races 
and  colors, — a  confusion  of  tongues,  of  rank  and 
condition,  and  of  cross  purposes.  Meanwhile  the 
long  cokimn  of  horse  continually  passed,  fording  the 
river;  but  officers  were  collecting  stragglers,  and 
straggling  themselves. 

My  business  completed,  I  found  Don  Santiago, 
as  the  Mexicans  call  Mr.  Magoffin,  had  been  prom- 
ised a  stirrup  cup,  if  any  private  nook  was  found 
possible.  A  long  hot  desert  ride  was  in  prospect ; 
and  Mr.  Bent  had  an  ice  house  ;  our  patience  was 
strengthened.  At  last  vigilant  eyes  recognized  a 
signal  from  a  flat  house  top.  With  unconscious 
mien,  we  wound  our  way  through  the  thirsty  and 
curious  crowd,  up  a  winding  stair,  and,  dexterously 
we  thought,  into  a  sentry  box  of  a  room,  and  lo !  a 
long  necked  straggler— ge mis  Pike— slipped  in  with 
us  !     We  gave  him  a  chilling  stare  ;  he  took  it  com- 


NEW    MEXICO  AND   CALIFORNIA.  9 

fortably.  A  pitcher  covered  with  a  dew  of  promise, 
caught  our  eyes  ;  it  brimmed  with  broken  ice,  and 
there  was  a  suggestive  aroma  which  softened  our 
hearts.  We  fraternized,  and  soon  finished  the  glo- 
rious   punch. 

At  last  we  were  ready ;  but  my  new  pack  mule 
instantly  dashed  in  full  and  clattering  charge  through 
scattering  stragglers ;  away  flew  cups  and  pans, — 
and  away  started  skittish  nags  with  vociferous  riders. 
Juan  and  Jose  charged  after,  through  the  loud 
laughing  crowd  ;  I  laughed,  myself,  despite  my  luck- 
less mess  kit.  The  foolish  mule,  so  resentful  of  an 
unwonted  crupper,  soon  succumbed  to  the  more  fa- 
miliar virtues  of  Juan's  lazo  ;  order  w^as  restored, 
and  we  followed  the  long  procession  fording  the 
Arkansas  River. 

All  attempt  to  pass  this  wonderfully  mobile  army 
was  found  to  be  vain  ;  and  so,  with  my  handful  of 
troopers  I  was  content  to  follow,  for  many  hours ; 
amused  at  times  by  the  humors  of  my  companions, 
Magoffin  and  Gonzales,  who  drove  somewhat  in 
advance.  As  we  passed  in  the  vicinity  of  several 
corrals  and  camps  of  the  caravan  merchants — -who 
were  required  to  await  the  motions  of  the  army — I 


lO  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

could  see  Juan  gallop  off,  bottle  in  hand  ;  for  his 
master,  whose  provision  of  wine  defied  all  human 
exigencies,  had  failed  in  the  rare  article  of  brandy, 
which  he  also  appreciated.  "Won't  they  say,"  he 
cried  out,  "  what  a  clever  fellow  that  is  in  the  black 
carretilla  to  send  us  down  a  bottle  of  brandy ;"  but 
Juan  returned  light  handed  from  each  visit. 

Sefior  M.  now  and  then  gave  his  fine  horses  a 
short  gallop ;  then  Gonzales  would  with  violent  ef- 
forts, force  his  shabby  mules  to  keep  close  up, — - 
only  to  be  checked,  very  suddenly,  to  a  walk.  No 
American  would  have  risked  such  looking  mules  for 
a  day's  journey  ;  but  the  Mexicans,  not  learned  nor 
wise,  are  masters  in  the  science  of  mules  !  Although 
in  this  case  there  was  no  secret,  there  is  a  mystery 
about  it ;  Jose,  while  G.  drove,  rode  by  the  side  of  the 
team,  almost  incessantly  and  laboriously  whipping ! 

A  hot  dusty  ride  we  had  through  the  flat  wilder- 
ness ;  the  army  made  that  day,  a  march  of  thirty- 
seven  miles.  That  fact  was  enough  to  indicate  that 
it  had  an  extraordinary  leader,  and  that  it  might 
successfully  defy  all  rule  a'nd  precedent. 

At  last,  as  the  sun  was  setting,  I  saw  the  troops 
leaving  the  road  to  camp  ;  and  although  there  was 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  II 

no  indication  of  water  beyond,  I  kept  on  ;  and  after 
I  had  entirely  passed,  came  in  sight  of  some  tents, 
and  directed  there  my  course  ;  I  found  it  the  camp 
of  the  small  battalion  of  infantry,  who  had  marched 
the  previous  day. 

•  We  were  hospitably  welcomed  ;  but  there  was 
scant  grass  for  the  few  animals,  and  the  water  of  the 
little  stream,  the  Timpe,  was  a  weak  but  decided 
solution  of  Epsom  salts.  Variety  in  diet  is  pleasing; 
but  extremes  not  always.  Capt.  Angney,  the  com- 
mander, had  procured  at  the  fort,  some  molasses, — 
for  the  consideration  of  a  dollar  the  pint — and  that, 
with  strong  thirst,  helped  down  the  tepid  Timpe. 
After  all  its  effects  were  moderate. 

Next  morning  we  were  off  betimes  with  the  in- 
fantry ;  the  scenery  all  day  was  wild,  and  strange 
to  us  ;  bare  of  trees  or  grass, — save  on  the  ridges 
where  cedars  and  pines  were  to  be  seen  ;  our  informa- 
tion indicated  no  water  short  of  a  very  long  march. 

But  by  taking  a  horse  trail,  and  passing  along  a 
ridge,  near  noon,  a  good  spring  was  found,  and  there 
we  passed  several  hours  under  the  shade  of  pifion 
trees,  indulging  in  lunch,  with  claret  wine  and  piiion 
nuts  for  dessert. 


12  THE   CONQUEST  OF 

In  the  afternoon,  the  road  being  very  difficult,  I 
got  far  ahead  of  the  carriages  ;  near  sundown  I  over- 
took numerous  infantry-  stragglers,  suffering  from  ex- 
treme thirst.  Just  at  dark,  I  saw  the  battalion  camp 
fires,  but  beyond  a  rocky  and  deep  ravine  which  we 
could  not  cross.  We  managed,  however,  to  get 
water,  and  bivouacked  above  under  the  little  cedar 
trees.  I  heard  my  sergeant  discussing  with  his 
party,  that  extraordinary  infantry,  which,  with  our 
fine  horses,  we  could  not  pass ;  but  he  said,  "  if 
regulars  were  to  straggle  so,  they  would  be  con- 
sidered as  mutinizing. 

August  4th. — We  pushed  on,  over  more  bad 
ground,  twenty  miles  to  the  next  water,  a  mere 
muddy  pond,  where  we  found  antelope  and  elk. 
After  a  short  nooning,  we  saw  the  battalion  coming, 
and  Don  Santiago  expressing  great  apprehension  of 
being  **  run  over  by  that  long  legged  infantry,"  we 
hastened  to  depart.  We  stopped  late,  on  the  Las 
Animas,  also  called  the  Purgatory,  at  the  foot  of  the 
Raton  Mountain.  It  is  a  fine,  bold  stream,  which 
mouths  fifteen  miles  below  Bent's  Fort.  It  has  a 
well  known  canon  ;  its  high  precipices  protect 
groves  and  grass ;  and,  besides  the  warm  shelter  for 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  13 

animals,  there  is  said  to  be  good  grazing  the  year 
round. 

Next  morning  we  followed  the  difficult  road  up 
the  Raton  ;  this  mountain  is  seventy-five  hundred 
feet  high,  and  is  well  covered  with  lofty  pines,  oaks, 
etc.  ;  it  has  been  dreaded  for  the  baggage  train. 

''  There  is  a  shorter  route  to  Santa  Fe  which 
passes  no  mountain,  or  very  bad  road  ;  but  this  one 
by  Bent's  Fort  was  selected  as  better  meeting  the 
needs  of  the  expedition.  The  other,  the  "  Cimarone 
Route,"  is  much  more  deficient  in  fuel,  and  has  a 
dreaded  Jornada  ;  while  that  by  Bent's  Fort  has  in 
the  fort  on  the  frontier  a  quasi  base. 

I  followed  a  small  stream  nearly  to  the  top  of 
the  mountain,  the  carriages  far  behind.  There  I 
stopped  for  nooning,  on  an  inviting  green  slope, 
very  near  the  streamlet,  and  in  the  shadow  of  some 
grand  old  pines. 

Fatigued  as  I  was,  there  was  much  that  was 
delightful  in  this  solitary  repose,  besides  the  fresh 
mountain  air.  Lowlanders  never  see  such  pure 
blue  skies ;  and  now  snow-white  clouds  drifting 
over,  intensified  the  blue  above,  and  by  their  shad- 
owings,    added   life    and   beauty    to    the    landscape 


14  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

pictures  below ;  and  there  was  a  gentle  breeze,  just 
enough  to  give  that  spirit-like  music  of  the  pine 
leaves,  and  in  harmony  with  the  purl  of  the  moun- 
tain brook. 

Here  were  varying  and  very  perfect  sensuous 
enjoyments,  which  were  elevating  too  ;  their  effects 
on  me  were  so  joyous  and  abstracting,  that  two 
fawns  came  down  the  opposite  slope  and  drank  ten 
paces  off,  without  arousing  the  destructive  hunter's 
instinct,  or  at  all  reminding  me  of  the  rifle  at  my 
side. 

At  last,  with  sounds  of  wheels  and  whips,  came 
the  carriages;.  Magoffin  humorous  with  affected 
anger  at  the  hard  chase  I  had  led  him. 

He  was  in  the  vein  to-day ;  reclining  on  the 
grass,  after  lunch,  he  made  a  long  speech  to  Gon- 
zales, in  the  most  sonorous  Spanish,  about  liberty 
and  equality,  and  the  thousand  advantages  of  being 
conquered  by  our  arms.  Then,  chuckling,  he 
swore  the  old  rascal  would  get  himself  in  the  cala- 
boose as  soon  as  he  got  to  Chihuahua.  He  then 
held  up,  and  addressed  a  pocket  cork-screw,  which, 
he  said  he  had  carried  eight  years.  "  You  have 
cost   me  a  thousand — five    thousand    dollars  ;    but 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  15 

what  do  I  care  for  except  a  bottle  of  wine  every 
day ;  I  work  this  way  on  purpose  to  keep  you  ; 
what  is  money  good  for  ?  I  would  not  say  to  a 
bottle  of  champagne,  *  I  won't,  I  cannot  use  you,' 
for  a  million  of  dollars.  I  travel  this  way  every 
year  over  deserts  just  to  be  able  to  have  my  wine 
and  educate  my  children.  I  will  educate  them  as 
long  as  they  can  stand  it  ;  give  them  all  sorts  of 
teachers,  to  teach  them  all  they  can  pound  into 
them ;  and  when  they  say  '  we  have  beaten  into 
their  heads  all  that  we  possibly  can,'  then  I  will  be 
satisfied  ;  that  is  all  I  want  to  do  for  them."  But 
no  idea  can  be  given  of  the  embellishment  which  his 
droll  manner  adds  to  his  eccentric  humor. 

The  view  from  the  top  of  the  mountain  is  very 
extensive — very  fine  ;  it  embraces  not  only  the 
Spanish  Peaks,  but  Pike's  Peak,  above  one  hundred 
miles  to  their  north. 

The  descent  was  long  and  rough;  and  my  fool- 
ish mule  made  'another  scamper,  scattering  my 
humble  but  very  important  mess  kit.  The  carre- 
tillas  did  not  come  up,  and  I  slept  without  shelter 
on  the  flat  and  barren  bank  of  an  upper  stream  of 
"  Red  River  " — the  Canadian  of  the  maps.      Next 


l6  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

day  it  was  the  same,  and  I  bivouacked,  at  a  water 
pool.  The  third  day  they  overtook  me,  at  noon,  at 
the  Riado.  Don  Santiago's  claret  was  very  welcome 
again ;  he  had  broken  his  carriage  pole,  descending 
the  mountain,  but  declared  it  was  now  much  strong- 
er than  before. 

In  the  afternoon  we  separated  again,  passing 
strange  wild  scenery.  We  suffered  want  of  water — 
passing  at  sunset  a  wide  shallow  pond  saturated 
wuth  some  vile  salts.  The  road  ascended  then, 
to  what  seemed  a  great  inclined  shelf  of  the 
mountain. 

We  rode  very  late,  hoping  for  water.  The  light 
of  even  a  full  moon  gave  an  imperfect  idea  of  the 
strange  scenery,  but  seemed  to  excite  vague  ima- 
ginings. On  the  soft  road  we  did  not  disturb  the 
profound  and  lifeless  silence.  Imagine  then  our 
wonder,  to  hear  unwarned,  several  rapid  explosions, 
identical  in  sound  to  near  cannon  shots.  Only  then 
we  saw  coming  over  the  near  horizon  of  a  mountain 
ridge,  the  rapid  invasion  of  our  serene  sky  by  a 
thunder  cloud  in  black  points  which  were  not  unlike 
the  column  heads  of  an  attacking  army.  And  then 
we   were  in  a  shower,  with  moonlight  all  around  ; 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  1 7 

and  very  soon  passed  on  this  phantom  cloud,  leaving 
all  serene  as  if  it  had  not  been. 

But  it  is  very  vain  to  attempt  to  describe  it  all 
— to  excite  sympathetic  appreciation  ;  it  is  the 
mere  chance  of  a  wanderer's  lifetime  to  witness  such 
a  spectacle,  with  all  its  attendant  and  weird 
surroundings. 

I  observed  for  some  time  a  singular  dark  streak 
to  our  left ;  and  at  last,  partly  in  curiosity,  discovered 
it  to  be  a  chasm,  a  precipitous  ravine,  with  a  little 
stream  of  water;  and  so  there  we  spent  the  rest  of 
the  night. 

Next  day,  August  8th,  we  passed  along  the  very 
singular  valley,  where  Fort  Union  was  afterward 
built,  and  a  ride  of  twenty-eight  miles  brought  us  to 
the  Mora,  a  bright  stream  which  here  breaks  out  of 
the  high  table  land,  a  kind  of  base  to  the  high  Rocky 
Mountain  ridge  which  had  long  been  on  our  right. 
Here  we  first  saw  houses,  two  or  three,  and  cat- 
tle and  sheep.  This  settlement  was  not  an  out- 
growth of  the  Territory,  but  an  approach  of  civili- 
zation ;  the  proprietors  being  an  Englishman  and  an 
American ;  a  very  doubtful  civilization,  too,  adul- 
terated by  wilderness  habits  and  Indian  intercourse. 


1 8  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

Next  day  sixteen  miles  over  a  prairie  table-land 
brought  us  to  its  steep  road-limit,  from  whence  we 
overlooked  a  valley  with  a  stream  ;  we  saw  corn- 
fields and  herds  ;  but  where  was  Los  Vegas,  which 
should  be  there  ?  I  saw,  I  thought,  a  great  clay 
bank,  a  singular  one  indeed,  but  I  thought  it  must 
be  an  extensive  brick-yard  and  kilns.  In  fact  it 
was  Vegas;  the  dwellings  being  in  low  square 
blocks,  sides  and  tops  of  sun-dried  yellow  bricks  or 
adobes;  the  streets,  and  a  large  square,  being  of 
the  same  color. 

Then  we  saw  the  people  running  and  riding 
about  in  excitement  and  apparent  confusion  ;  mount- 
ing in  hot  haste,  driving  in  herds  of  ponies,  cattle, 
goats.  I  hardly  believed  the  appearance,  on  the  bluff, 
of  my  party  of  horse  to  be  the  occasion  of  it  all  ; 
and  as  I  drew  nearer  I  doubted  more  and  more,  for 
a  large  party  came  galloping  in  my  direction. 

This  hostile  demonstration  was  too  doubtful,  in 
my  view,  for  momentary  solution  ;  if  it  occurred  to 
me  to  display  a  flag  of  truce,  I  was  unprepared  to  do 
so,  and  could  only  continue  my  advance  in  the  best 
order  to  meet  the  worst.  All  doubt  was  soon 
solved   by  these    eccentric   cavaliers,   formidable   at 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  I9 

least  in  appearance,  passing  at  the  gallop  to  our  left, 
I  marched  on  with  increasing  astonishment,  tinged 
with  a  shade  of  mortification.  I  soon  learned  that 
this  very  characteristic  introduction  to  New  Mexican 
life,  was  caused  by  the  wild  Indians  having  killed 
a  shepherd  or  two,  at  a  distance  of  two  leagues,  and 
driven  off  their  flock.  And  such  was  the  measure 
of  New  Mexican  efficiency — to  gallop  off  in  confu- 
sion, and  without  provision,  to  a  pursuit,  in  which, 
if  the  robbers  were  overtaken,  it  would  be  at  the 
moment  when  their  own  horses  were  quite  blown, 
or  exhausted. 

I  rode  with  Mr.  M.  to  the  home  of  the  alcalde, 
who  was  his  old  acquaintance :  quite  a  number  of 
his  neighbors  visited  us  and  expressed  pleasure  at 
their  prospects,  and  some  whiskey  was  handed  round 
in  an  earthen  cup. 

There  is  some  mixture  of  stone  in  the  structure 
of  the  houses;  that  material  being  here  very  con- 
venient and  suitable;  but  the  village,  with  its  small 
fields,  scarcely  fenced,  differed  little  from  those  of 
our  Pawnees  in  appearance ;  these  dwellings  are 
smaller  and  square  instead  of  round  ;  fine  moun- 
tain    streams    are     near,    and    are    conducted — as 


20  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

usual — by    the    main    canal    of    irrigation,    through 
the  place. 

While  my  horses  were  fed,  we  sat  down  to  a  din- 
ner ;  it  was  composed  of  a  plate,  for  each,  of  poached 
eggs,  and  wheaten  tortillas  ;  seeing  some  cheese  on 
a  small  pine  table,  I  asked  for  a  knife  to  cut  it ; — the 
old  man  went  to  a  hair  trunk,  and  produced  a  very 
common  pocket  knife.  The  room  had  a  smooth 
earthen  floor;  it  was  partly  covered  by  a  kind  of 
carpeting  of  primitive  manufacture,  in  white  and 
black — or  natural  coloring  of  the  wool ; — it  is  called 
Jerga ;  around  the  room,  mattresses,  doubled  pil- 
lows, and  coverlids,  composed  a  kind  of  divan  ;  the 
walls  were  whitewashed,  with  gypsum, — which  rub- 
bing off  easily,  a  breadth  of  calico  was  attached  to 
the  walls  above  the  divan  ;  there  was  a  doll-like 
image  of  the  virgin,  and  two  very  rude  paintings  on 
boards  and  some  small  mirrors  ;  the  low  room  was 
ceiled  with  puncheons,  supporting  earth ; — there 
were  several  rough  board  chairs.  The  alcalde's 
dress  was  a  calico  shirt, — very  loose  white  cotton 
drawers  or  trowsers,  and  over  them  another  pair — 
also  very  loose, — of  leather,  open  far  up  at  the  outer 
seams.      There   appeared  to  be  servants, —  wild  In- 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  21 

dians  of  full  blood.  This  may  serve  for  a  general 
picture. 

The  alcalde — profanely  surnamed  Dios — gave  me 
a  very  singular  missive  to  his  inferior  magistrate  of 
the  next  village  ;  it  required  him  to  furnish  ten  men 
to  watch  my  camp,  that  the  Utahs  should  not  steal 
my  horses,  and  my  men  might  sleep.  He  sent  as  I 
afterward  learned,  a  swift  express  by  the  mountain 
paths,  to  the  Governor  at  Santa  Fe. 

We  passed,  a  few  miles  beyond  Vegas,  the  best 
named  natural  "  gate  "  I  had  ever  seen, — through  a 
ridge  some  four  hundred  feet  high.  The  scenery  of 
my  Piedmont  route — from  Raton  to  Santa  F^ — 
now  greatly  improved;  wooded  hills,  many  bright 
streams,  some  natural  parks.  There  had  been  a 
shower  here,  and  the  red  gravel  road,  and  the  buffa- 
lo grass,  under  stately  pines  and  cedars,  looked 
fresh  swept  and  washed  ;  the  air  was  exhilarating, 
but  the  charm  over  all  was  the  almost  dazzling  sky. 

Nine  miles  brought  us  to  a  commanding  hill-top, 
with  a  view  of  an  extensive  valley, — open,  smooth, 
cultivated ; — a  bold  stream  was  in  its  meadows ; 
there  were  herds  and  flocks  on  the  slopes,  and  groves 
of  pines;  the  mountains  surrounded  all. 


22  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

Tecolote, — very  like  Las  Vegas — was  in  the  bot- 
tom of  the  valley  ;  the  scene  must  have  been  peace- 
ful ;  for  apparently  forgetful  of  the  war,  I  left  my  es- 
cort unsaddHng  for  the  night,  and  without  showing 
a  flag,  rode  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  the  large  crowd 
gathered  at  the  entrance  of  the  village;  saluting 
them,  I  inquired  for  the  alcalde,  and  in  barbarous 
Spanish,  told  him  as  I  presented  the  note,  that  I 
wanted  not  men,  but  corn.  And  I  got  some,  at 
three  dollars  a  bushel ;  and  a  sheep  for  a  dollar  and 
a  half;  and  milk  and  eggs  and  chickens  were  offered 
for  sale  at  my  little  camp. 

With  Don  Santiago  and  Sefior  G.  came  some 
of  their  acquaintances  to  supper  in  my  tent ;  one  of 
the  latter  contributed  a  pocket-flask  of  aguadiente, 
which  could  be  recommended  as  strong.  Gonzales 
gave  it  cordial  reception  ;  and  to  his  friends, — at 
second  hand, — the  liberty  and  annexation  lectures 
of  the  Don  with  additions  and  embellishments. 

August  10///. — The  first  novelty  I  saw  this  morn- 
ing was  a  flock  of  milk  goats  going  to  pasture  for  the 
day,  in  charge  of  a  boy  and  two  shepherd  dogs.  Sin- 
gular it  is,  that  the  Spaniards  occupied  on  this  conti- 
nent, and  expanded  over,  precisely  all  the  region, — 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  23 

of  mountain  and  high  arid  plains, — so  resembling 
Spain,  that  their  national  customs  of  agriculture  by 
irrigation,  transportation  by  pack  mules  and  asses, 
the  raising  of  flocks,  etc.,  were  strictly  preserved  '; 
and  so  natural  and  necessary  was  their  introduction, 
that  it  may  account  in  part  for  their  present  homo- 
geneousness  with  the  aborigines. 

I  was  struck  on  the  road,  with  the  number  of 
people  passing,  and  their  lively  mood.  We  fell  in 
with  one  very  merry  party ;  chiefly  the  family  of  an 
old  man,  as  lively  and  active  as  a  monkey,  and  not 
much  larger ;  perhaps  it  was  a  wedding  party ; — a 
very  pretty  girl  rode  on  an  ass,  which  took  into  its 
solemn  head  to  penetrate  our  procession  of  large 
horses  ;  and  in  spite  of  her  guiding  stick,  she  was 
in  danger ;  then  a  young  man  who  rode  a  mule, 
came  spurring  to  her  rescue,  and  seizing  the  donkey 
with  great  vehemence  by  each  ear,  dragged  him 
forth  ;  the  girl's  face  was  very  expressive  both  of  hu- 
mor and  anxiety ;  as  for  the  old  man,  his  excitement 
carried  his  donkey  to  a  gallop,  while  the  hills  rang 
with  his  shouts  and  laughter. 

San  Miguel,  built  of  dull  red  adobes,  in  a  dull  red 
surrounding  country,  was  now  before  us  on  the  first 


24  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

hill  beyond  the  Pecos  ;  this  stream  is  here  very  pleas- 
ant to  the  eye,  running  swift  and  clear,  a  foot  or 
two  deep  and  a  hundred  wide,  through  meadows 
green  with  wheat  and  corn, — this  last  only  three  feet 
up  to  the  tassel, — the  former,  spring  wheat,  reaped 
in  September.  The  town  turned  out  to  see  us,  but 
I  made  no  stay.  The  road  turning  up  the  Pecos 
valley,  passed  for  some  twenty  miles  along  the  rath- 
er broken  declivity, — hills  and  deep  clay  gullies, — 
of,  what  to  all  appearance,  was  a  respectable  moun- 
tain six  hundred  feet  high  ;  but  which  in  fact  is  the 
break  of  a  famous  vast  table  land,  destitute  of  water. 

We  got  on  about  fifteen  miles ;  caught  now  and 
then  by  a  mountain  shower,  of  this  the  rainy  season ; 
and  camped  at  a  rain  pool,  under  some  fine  trees. 

August  nth. — The  Don  last  night  bragged  very 
much  of  his  cook,  and  6f  his  manufacture  of  soup  of  a 
turtle  he  had  captured.  It  was  poison  to  me  ;  and  so 
I  had  to  supplement  it  with  a  small  lump  of  opium, 
which,  with  little  relief  to  my  agony,  prostrated  my 
strength.  And  so  I  had  to  ride  all  day  in  his  car- 
riage, and  got  only  a  passing  view  of  some  interest- 
ing ruins  ;  [to  Americans,  especially,  who,  with  a 
reputation  for  boasting,  are  worst  off, — of  all  things 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  25 

— for  antiquities  ;  and  so  it  happens  we  make  much 
of  "  broken  pottery  ;"  and  when  we  find  in  the  woods 
any  eccentric  hillocks  or  mounds,  or  the  ruins  of 
adobe  huts,  straightway  a  cipher  is  added  to  their 
probable  age,  and  they  are  pressed  into  the  service 
of  American  archaeology].  It  was  the  ruins  of  a 
walled  town  called  Pecos — which  I  have  visited 
since — standing  on  a  hill-top,  between  tv/o  branches 
of  Pecos  River  ;  three  mountain  ridges  and  three 
valleys  meet,  (it  is  something  like  Harper's  Ferry,) 
with  vistas  here  of  far  off  peaks.  A  beautiful  pano- 
rama !  On  the  bare  mountain  sides  of  neutral  tints, 
in  this  pure  rare  atmosphere  the  sun  plays  master 
painter, — with  floating  clouds  for  his  help — and  ever 
changes  the  picture  as  he  moves. 

Here  we  see,  only  partially  ruined,  the  temples 
of  two  religions  which  met  in  rivalry — the  Aztec,N 
with  unceasing  altar  fire,  and  that  of  Rome,  with  its 
graven  images  ;  the  former  an  ignorant,  honest  su- 
perstition with  a  basis  of  morality  ;  the  latter,  degen- 
erated in  this  far  isolation,  steeped  in  immorality, 
embodied  in  spectacles  and  ceremonies,  and  degrad- 
ing all  that  is  high  and  holy  to  the  level  of  sense — ■ 
the  depths  of  superstition.  t 

2 


26  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

Some  contend  that  the  Roman  CathoHc  religion 
was  only  grafted  on  the  Aztec ;  that  the  two  were 
harmoniously  blended  ;  this  is  surely  affirmed  of 
the  present  religion  of  the  Pueblos  here.  It  is  stated, 
(but  it  sounds  like  a  tradition,  such  is  the  ignorance 
of  this  people,  without  a  press,)  that  only  some  seven 
years  ago,  the  sacred  fire  was  taken  from  the  estufa 
here,  by  a  small  remnant  of  the  tribe,  to  the  Pueblos 
of  Zufii,  not  very  distant  to  the  south-west. 

But  we  drove  on,  and  some  miles  brought  us  to 
the  wild  rocky  cafion,  where,  a  few  days  later, 
four  or  five  thousand  men  were  very  strongly  posted 
to  give  battle  to  our  army.  I  took  care  to  find  out, 
however,  and  observed  how^  it  could  be  turned. 
My  escort  got  ahead  ;  and  when,  six  or  eight  miles 
from  Santa  Fe,  I  determined  to  stop,  they,  not 
having  discovered  the  water,  had  gone  on  ;  and  so 
in  much  suffering  and  uneasiness  I  lay  down  under 
a  bush ;  my  stomach  refusing  every  thing,  until 
after  midnight,  when  I  drank  a  little  claret  wine, 
which  Don  Santiago  had  kindly  insisted  on  putting 
within  my  reach. 

Next  morning,  August  I2th,  we  pushed  on,  and 
on  the  high  barren  hills,  almost  in  sight  of  Santa  F^, 


NEW   MEXICO  AND"  CALIFORNlJS^^-;:^^ 

to  my  great  relief,  the  escort  joined  me :  I  mounted 
then,  and  we  approached  the  "  city."  At  the  foot, 
or  at  the  extremity  of  a  main  ridge  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  in  the  midst  of  a  grey  barren  country 
without  grass,  and  in  the  sandy  flat  valley  of  a 
mountain  stream,  there  it  was,  like  a  very  extensive 
brick-yard  indeed. 

Fording  the  bright  and  rocky  little  river,  I  rode 
through  a  long  crooked  street,  passing  crowds  of 
people  who  generally  returned  my  salutation  of 
hienos  dias^  **  good  morning  to  you."  I  lost  sight 
of  the  carretillas,  and  going  rather  at  random,  sud- 
denly found  myself  in  front  of  the  quarter  of  a  large 
guard,  who  at  view  of  my  horsemen,  howled  out 
their  ''alarm,"  with  so  hideous  intonation,  that  I 
mistook  it  for  a  menace.  For  the  first  time,  I 
thought  it  would  not  be  amiss  to  air  my  flag  of 
truce  ;  so  I  placed  a  white  handkerchief  on  the  point 
of  my  sabre,  and  the  officer  of  the  guard  advancing 
to  meet  me,  I  announced  my  mission  in  a  sentence 
of  very  formal  book-Spanish  ;  he  gave  me  a  direc- 
tion, to  the  right  I  thought,  and  looking  up  a  nar- 
row street,  I  saw  a  friendly  signal,  pushed  on,  and  em- 
erging, found  myself  and  party  on  the  plaza,  crowd- 


28  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

ed  by  some  thousands  of  soldiers  and  countrymen, 
called  out  en  masse,  to  meet  our  army.  We  made 
our  way  with  some  difficulty,  toward  the  **  palace," 
and  coming  to  a  halt,  my  trumpeter  sounded  a  parley. 
It  was  some  time  before  I  was  attended  to ;  and  it 
was  a  feeling  between  awkwardness  and  irritation 
that  was  at  last  relieved  by  the  approach  of  an  officer, 
the  "  Mayor  de  Plaza  ;"  and  he  again  went  into  the 
palace  and  returned,  before  he  was  ready  to  conduct 
me  thither. 

I  entered  from  the  hall,  a  large  and  lofty  apart- 
ment, with  a  carpeted  earth  floor,  and  discovered  the 
governor  seated  at  a  table,  with  six  or  eight  military 
and  civil  officials  standing.  There  was  no  mistaking 
the  governor,  a  large  fine  looking  man,  although  his 
complexion  was  a  shade  or  two  darker  than  the 
dubious  and  varying  Spanish ;  he  wore  a  blue  frock 
coat,  with  a  rolling  collar  and  a  general's  shoulder 
straps,  blue  striped  trovvsers  with  gold  lace,  and 
a  red  sash.  He  rose  when  I  was  presented  to 
him  ;  I  said  I  was  sent  to  him  by  the  general  com- 
manding the  American  army,  and  that  I  had  a  let- 
ter, which  I  would  present  at  his  convenience.  He 
said   he  had  ordered  quarters  for  me,  and  that  my 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  29 

horses  should  be  grazed  near  the  town,  by  his  sol- 
diers, there  being  no  corn  ;  he  hoped  I  would 
remain  as  long  as  it  pleased  me.  I  then  took  my 
leave.  I  was  conducted  by  Captain  Ortiz,  Mayor 
de  Plaza,  to  his  quarters,  and  shown  into  a  large 
long  room,  looking  upon  the  court,  and  told  *'it  was 
mine  ;"  which  truly  Spanish  politeness  was  belied 
soon  after  by  the  presence  of  Seilor  Gonzales  :  the 
room  was  carpeted,  had  one  rude  window,  but  a 
dozen,  at  least,  of  mirrors — a  prevailing  New  Mex- 
ican taste, — and  besides  the  divan,  an  American  bed- 
stead and  bed.  My  men  were  rather  crowded  in  a 
small  room,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  narrow 
street,  and  to  show  my  confidence,  the  horses  were 
delivered  to  the  Mexican  soldier,  to  be  grazed.  Im- 
mediately a  number  of  American  merchants  called 
on  me  ;  chocolate  and  cake,  and  some  whiskey  was 
handed  round  by  the  captain's  wife. 

Soon  after,  I  went  with  an  interpreter,  for  my  of- 
ficial visit  to  the  Governor,  and  delivered  my  creden- 
tials. He  seemed  to  think  that  the  approach  of  the 
army  was  rather  sudden  and  rapid ;  and  inquired 
very  particularly  if  its  commander,  Kearny,  was  a 
general  or  colonel  ?  (he  had  received  his  promotion 


30  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

on  the  march.)  This  was  evidently  to  assist  his 
judgment  as  to  the  strength  of  his  force  ;  and  to 
■follow  the  Napoleon  maxim,  to  exaggerate  the  num- 
bers of  an  army  for  its  moral  influence  upon  the 
enemy,  our  government  would  do  well  to  take  the 
hint ;  it  being  somewhat  chary  of  that  rank. 

I  was  allowed  to  walk  about  the  town ;  and 
I  observed  particularly  the  amount  and  condition  of 
the  ordnance. 

Still  sick,  I  had  no  appetite  for  dinner,  and  was 
disturbed  at  siesta,  by  a  favorite  trumpeter,  who 
contrived  to  get  admittance,  and  with  much  mystery 
of  manner,  gave  me  his  opinion  that  a  plan  or  deter- 
mination had  been  formed  by  the  soldiers  to  massacre 
or  attack  us  in  the  night;  I  reassured  him  to  the 
extent,  that  sobriety  and  prudence  should  not  be 
lost  sight  of. 

Senor  Gonzales  soon  after  raised  his  head  from  a 
table  and  in  solemn,  not  sober  voice,  cried  out "  Cuchil- 
lo,  Cuchara, — plata  ;"  when,  presto,  appeared  knives, 
spoons,  plates; — mutton  chops,  chicken  and  chilo, 
tortillas,  dulces,  tea^— whiskey.  I  could  not  eat  the 
supper,  but  drew  near  the  table,  to  please  the  Se- 
ftora.   The    Don    seized  two  ribs,  and  tearing  them 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  3 1 

apart,  sank  his  grizzly  muzzle  between.  "  Un  tena- 
dor^'  I  cried,  mimicking  the  Don.  The  fork  was 
brought,  but  the  Don  did  not  take  hints  then  ; — La 
Sefiora,  offered  me  tea  and  cake  on  a  silver  salver. 
The  Don  poured  whiskey  into  a  bowl  with  his  tea ; 
and  thinking  I  could  put  him  to  sleep,  I  helped  him 
to  more  ;  he  soon  tumbled  on  his  pallet,  and  saluted 
my  ears  with  such  horrid  sounds  that  I  fancied  suffo- 
cation and  explosion  were  contending  for  the  mastery 
over  his  mountain  of  flesh. 

At  10  P.  M.,  General  Armijo  came  with  Don  San- 
tiago. It  was  settled  that  a  *'  commissioner"  should 
return  with  me,  and  that  we  should  set  out  at  sun- 
rise ;  the  Governor  would  march  next  day  *'with 
six  thousand  men."  I  promised  to  take  chocolate 
with  him  at  that  early  hour. 

Accordingly  on  the  13th,  soon  after  the  sun  rose, 
being  all  ready  to  mount,  I  paid  my  parting  visit  to 
Governor  Armijo,  when  chocolate,  cake  and  bread, 
— such  as  only  Mexicans  or  Spaniards  can  make, 
— were  served  on  silver  plate  ;  it  is  an  article  of  my 
culinary  creed,  that  only  the  Spanish,  and  their 
cognate  tribes  can  make  chocolate  ! 

I  do  not  go  so  far  in  the  matter  of  bread ;  but 


32  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

will  state  that  notwithstanding  there  is  not  a  bolting 
cloth  in  the  province,  their  bread  and  cake  cannot 
be  excelled.  But  meanwhile  the  Governor  is  bow- 
ing me  out,' with  a  suspiciously  good-humored  smile, 
and  deafening  trumpets  and  drums  seem  beating  to 
arms.  I  mount  and  ride  forth,  with  my  escort  in 
compact  order  ;  and  I  pass  that  same  guard-house, 
and  hear  the  same  sullen  howl  of  the  sentinel,  which 
I  still  misunderstand  ;  and  rising  in  my  stirrups  I 
turn  and  with  a  defiant  gesture,  call  out,  in  good 
English,  "  I'll  call  again  in  a  week." 

General  Armijo,  with  little  or  no  military  expe- 
rience, distrustful  of  the  loyalty  of  the  population  he 
has  habitually  fleeced,  and  of  their  feeble  ignorance 
which  has  been  much  impressed  by  our  long  com- 
mercial intercourse,  is  said  to  be  in  painful  doubt 
and  irresolution ;  halting  between  loyalty  to  his 
army  commission,  lately  bestowed,  and  a  desire  to 
escape  the  dangers  of  war  upon  terms  of  personal 
advantage.  Although  perhaps  much  superior  to 
those  about  him,  he  is  unequal  to  the  trying  circum- 
stances of  his  present  situation.  Even  the  patriotic 
spirit  developed  by  his  proclamation  appears  to 
embarrass  as  well  as  surprise  him.     Undoubtedly  he 


NEW   MEXICO  AND   CALIFORNIA.  33 

must  go  on  to  direct  this  current,  but  to  some  weak 
and  disgraceful  conclusion.  And  Armijo's  avarice, 
fortified  by  ignorance, -probably  excites  in  him  some 
hope  to  handle  the  tariff  dues  of  the  large  caravans 
which  follow  our  column  of  invasion — an  incident  of 
war,  strange  to  us,  which  must  mystify  him  ; — and  it 
is  a  surprising  fact  that  nearly  all  the  merchants 
would  prefer  to  get  their  clearances  here  ;  for  three- 
fourths  of  their  goods,  in  original  packages,  are  des- 
tined for  Chihuahua  and  even  beyond  ;  the  Santa 
Fe  custom  house  is  a  great  favorite  with  them. 
Thus  an  almost  prohibitory  tariff,  evaded  by  bribery, 
costs  the  people  some  thousand  or  two  miles  of 
land  transportation ;  and  thus  a  bad,  corrupt  gov- 
ernment finds  its  account  in  abuses. 

I  was  accompanied  on  my  return  by  the  ''  Com- 
missioner," Dr.  Conolly,  an  Englishman. 

The  second  afternoon  we  passed  the  scene  of 
a  very  recent  murder  and  robbery;  the  Indians,  as 
usual,  are  excited  by  the  prospect  of  war,  and  the 
poor  territory,  never  in  the  least  protected  by  the 
handful  of  regulars  at  the  capital,  is  now  harried  by 
these  savages  with  unusual  severity.  My  dragoons 
were  chiefly  intended  for  protection  against  them ; 
2-* 


34  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

they,  and  not  the  New  Mexicans,  seem  to  be  con- 
I  sidered  as  our  enemies. 

Next  morning,  hearing  of  the  approach  of  the 
army,  I  left  my  escort  to  rest  their  horses  at  the 
spring  where  we  had  slept,  rode  on,  and  was  soon 
gladdened  at  sight  of  it,  descending  in  gallant  array 
the  long  hill  to  Tecolote. 

There  a  halt  was  made.  The  General  and  suit 
were  conducted  by  the  alcalde  to  his  house  ;  and 
there,  through  his  interpreter.  General  Kearny 
addressed  him  and  the  village  notables ;  informing 
them  of  the  annexation  and  its  great  advantages  to 
them.  He  required  the  alcalde  to  take  the  oath  of 
allegiance,  and  then  confirmed  him  in  his  office,  and 
pronounced  them  all  released  from  their  allegiance 
to  Mexico,  and  citizens  of  the  United  States. 

■  The  march  was  then  continued — the  business  with 
the  alcalde  having  occupied  only  the  space  of  time 
necessary  for  watering  the  horses,  and  the  camp  was 
established  for  the  night  at  Bernal  Spring. 

My  diary  adds  no  word  of  comment !  What  a 
triumph  of  discipline  ! — I  dismissed,  as  in  a  parenthe- 
sis, this  accompaniment  of  a  water-call.  The  great 
boon  of  American  citizenship  thus  thrust,  through  an 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  35 

interpreter,  by  the  mailed  hand,  upon  eighty  thou- 
sand mongrels  who  cannot  read, — who  are  almost 
heathens, — the  great  mass  reared  in  real  slavery, 
called  peonism,  but  still  imbued  by  nature  with 
enough  patriotism  to  resent  this  outrage  of  being 
forced  to  swear  an  alien  allegiance,  by  an  officer  who 
had  just  passed  their  frontier.  This  people  who  have 
been  taught  more  respect  for  a  corporal  than  a 
judge,  must  still  have  been  astonished  at  this  first 
lesson  in  liberty. 

The  General's  authority  for  this  course  has  no 
ampler  record  than  may  be  found  in  the  following 
extracts  from  confidential  instructions  received  from 
the  Secretary  of  War,  and  dated  June  3d,  1846. 
"  Should  you  conquer  and  take  possession  of  New 
Mexico  and  Upper  California,  you  will  establish 
temporary  civil  governments  therein,  abolishing  all 
arbitrary  restrictions  that  may  exist,  so  far  as  it  rqay 
be  done  with  safety.  In  performing  this  duty  it 
would  be  wise  and  prudent  to  continue  in  their  em- 
ployment all  such  of  the  existing  officers  as  are 
known  to  be  friendly  to  the  United  States,  and  will 
take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  them.  .  .  .  You  may  as- 
sure the  people  of  those  provinces  that  it  is  the  wish 


36  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

and  design  of  the  United  States  to  provide  for  them 
a  free  government,  with  the  least  possible  delay, 
similar  to  that  which  exists  in  our  Territories. 
They  will  then  be  called  on  to  exercise  the  rights 
of  freemen  in  electing  their  own  representatives  to 
the  territorial  legislature.  It  is  foreseen  that  what 
relates  to  the  civil  government  will  be  a  difficult  and 
unpleasant  part  of  your  duty,  and  much  must  neces- 
sarily be  left  to  your  own  discretion. 

*'  In  your  whole  conduct  you  will  act  in  such  a 
manner  as  best  to  conciliate  the  inhabitants,  and  ren- 
vder  them  friendly  to  the  United  States." 

Mr.  Marcy  also  states,  ^'  No  proclamation  for 
circulation  was  ever  furnished  to  General  Kearny." 

These  instructions  are  the  production  of  a  politi- 
cian and  a  lawyer ;  and  it  is  necessary  to  add  that 
their  consummate  author  was  well  acquainted  with 
Gen.  Kearny. 

The  President,  in  communicating  the  above  to 
Congress,  said,  ^' If  any  excess  of  power  has  been 
exercised,  the  departure  has  been  the  offspring  of  a 
patriotic  desire  to  give  to  the  inhabitants  the  priv- 
ileges and  immunities  so  cherished  by  the  people  of 
our  own  country.  .  .  .  Any  such  excess  has  resulted 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  37 

in  no  practical  injury,  but  can  and  will  be  early  cor- 
rected, in  a  manner  to  alienate  as  little  as  possible 
the  good  feelings  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  con- 
quered territory."  (December  22,  1846.) 

The  next  day,  with  only  a  short  halt  of  the 
column,  a  similar  scene  was  enacted  at  San  Miguel. 
I  remained  in  town  with  a  squadron ;  there  was  a 
great  crowd  ;  the  General  and  his  staff,  the  alcalde 
and  a  priest  and  a  few  others,  ascended  a  flat  house 
top  overlooking  the  plaza ;  the  General,  through  his 
interpreter,  delivered  his  address  with  the  advantage 
of  its  success  at  Tecolote,  but,  whether  from  the 
priest's  influence,  the  crowd,  or  his  own  peculiar 
firmness,  the  alcalde  positively  refused  to  take 
the  oath.  The  General  then  enlarged  upon  the 
perfect  freedom  of  religion  under  our  government, 
— mentioning  that  his  chief  of  staff",  then  present, 
was  a  Roman  Catholic.  All  persuasion  failed,  and 
at  last  the  old  man  was  forced  to  go  through  the 
form  and  semblance  of  swearing  allegiance. 

The  army's  second  camp  beyond  San  Miguel 
was  on  the  hills  of  Pecos  River,  close  to  the  ruins  of 
the  ancient  temple,  and  of  the  church.  That  day 
General  Armijo  was  posted  at  the  defile,  a  very  few 


38  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

miles  beyond,  with  all  his  artillery,  and  a  vast  crowd 
of  enemies. 

The  army  marched  very  early  August  1 8th  ;  I 
commanded  the  advance  guard,  and  held  to  the 
main  road,  not  receiving  orders  to  take  the  obscure 
route,  known  by  the  General,  which  turned  the 
position  at  the  cafton.  As  I  passed  it,  I  concluded 
that  important  information  had  been  received  in  the 
night.  So  it  proved,  and  I  found  at  the  rocky  gorge 
only  a  rude  breastwork  of  large  trees  felled  across 
it.  It  had  evidently  proved  impossible  to  give  co- 
herence to  the  wretched  mass  of  our  opponents,  who 
were  now  for  the  first  time  assembled  together. 

They  became  panic-stricken  at  once  on  the  ap- 
proach of  such  an  imposing  array  of  horsemen  of  a 
superior  race,  and,  it  appeared,  over-estimated  our 
numbers,  which  the  reports  of  ignorance  and  fear  had 
vastly  magnified. 

Want  of  water  compelled  the  extraordinary 
march  of  twenty-eight  miles,  and  the  arrival  before 
Santa  F^  near  sundown.  The  dragoons  were  there 
alone,  for  a  time,  then  came  the  regiment  of  volun- 
teer cavalry;  and  the  town  had  been  summoned 
before  the  arrival  of  the  artillery.     Then  we  marched 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  39 

into  the  city,  raised  and  saluted  the  national  flag  in 
the  plaza,  and  marched  back  to  make  camp  on  the 
barren  hill  top.  The  baggage  had  not  arrived ; 
there  were  no  provisions,  no  grass  or  other  forage, 
no  fuel  ;  as  a  conquering  army  we  fared  badly. 
Before  it  was  dark,  the  inhabitants  were  driving  don- 
keys into  camp  loaded  with  fuel,  and  not  long  after 
the  train  came  up;  very  few  rations  did  it  contain. 

I  took  charge  of  the  city  for  the  night,  with  a 
guard  of  only  fifty  men  ;  the  General  sleeping  on  the 
floor  in  the  palace.  The  taverns  and  saloons  were 
overrun  by  the  hungry  and  thirsty  volunteers,  and 
at  last  I  had  to  drive  them  all  out.  After  mid- 
night I  lay  down  in  my  cloak  in  the  main  hall,  or 
passage  of  the  "  palace,"  and  there,  with  my  saddle 
for  a  pillow,  slept  soundly. 

The  *'  Army  of  the  West "  marched  from  Bent's 
Fort  with  only  rations  calculated  to  last,  by  uninter- 
rupted and  most  rapid  marches,  until  it  should  arrive 
at  Santa  Fe.  Is  this  war?  Tested  by  the  rules  of 
the  science,  this  expedition  is  anomalous,  not  to  say 
Quixotic.  A  colonel's  command,  called  an  army, 
marches  eight  hundred  miles  beyond  its  base,  its 
communication  liable  to  be  cut  off  by  the  slightest 


40  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

effort  of  the  enemy — mostly  through  a  desert — the 
whole  distance  almost  totally  destitute  of  resources, 
to  conquer  a  territory  of  250,000  square  miles  ;  with- 
out a  military  chest,  the  people  of  this  territory  are 
declared   citizens  of  the  United  States,  and  the  in- 
vaders are  thus  debarred  the  rights  of  war  to   seize 
needful  supplies  ;  they  arrive  without  food  before  the 
capital — a  city  two  hundred  and  forty  years  old,  habit- 
ually garrisoned  by  regular  troops  !    I  much  doubt  if 
any  officer  of  rank,  but  Stephen  W.  Kearny,  would 
have  undertaken  the  enterprise ;  or,  if  induced  to  do 
so,  would  have  accomplished  it  successfully. 
^       This  is  the  art  of  war  as  practiced  in  America. 
The    horses    were  sent  the  day  after  our   occu- 
pation of  Santa  Fe  to  a  distant  grazing  camp,  and 
the  greater  part  of  the  troops  were  quartered  in  the 
town.     The  Indians  have  been  coming  in,  and  seem 
pleased  at  the  new  order  of  things ;  temporary  civil 
officers  have    been    sworn  in.      The  authorities  of 
Taos    have  submitted,  and    the   prefect   taken    the 
oath  of  allegiance.     Some  of  the  civilized  or  "  Pu- 
eblo "    Indians    from    that   quarter  have   visited  us. 
These  are  a  remarkable  element  in  the  New  Mex- 
ican population.     They  are  of  the  full  blood,  live  in 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  41 

villasres  of  houses  of  many  stories,  without  doors — 
entered  each  story  from  its  top,  which  is  reached  by 
a  movable  ladder  :  their  diligently  cultivated  grounds 
they  hold  in  fee  ;  they  speak  the  Spanish,  besides 
an  original  language ;  comparatively  moral,  they 
profess  the  Roman  Catholic  religion,  slightly  modi- 
fied by  some  cherished  heathen  customs  and  cere- 
monies, but  are  reputed  far  more  moral  christians 
than  the  New  Mexicans  proper,  that  is,  of  mixed 
blood  ;  of  these,  the  priests  being  preeminent 
scoundrels,  their  flocks  are  generally  earnest  in  an 
imitation,  where  their  inferior  means  and  abilities  do 
not  admit  of  a  possible  success. 

The  market  is  well  supplied  ;  mutton  of  true 
mountain  flavor,  red  peppers,  onions,  apples,  apri- 
cots, etc.  Coffee  is  fifty,  and  sugar  forty  cents  a 
pound.  Fandangos  of  the  lowest  class  are  now  a 
great  success. 

Four  of  us  have  taken  possession,  temporarily, 
of  the  large  parlor  at  my  old  quarters  with  the 
*' Mayor  de  Plaza;"  the  captain  has  very  quietly 
subsided  into  a  civic  character — that  of  vendor  of 
EI  Paso  wine  and  aguadiente,  or  brandy.  All  but 
some  of  our  elderly  officers  take  to  a  sm^tsfiQe:  of 


^^JVEBSITY 


42  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

the  Spanish,  perhaps  the  easiest  of  languages  to 
learn.  This  may  account  in  part  for  its  prevalence, 
to  a  convenient  extent  at  least,  even  among  the  wild 
Indians  within  the  sphere  of  Spanish  conquest. 
First  our  men  learned  to  ask,  leche  de  vaca,  leche  de 
cabra  ?  of  the  milk  boys  :  goat's  milk  is  far  the  more 
common,  but  is  not  popular  with  us. 

A  slave  of  the  house,  a  captive  when  young  from 
the  Utah  tribe,  makes  down  every  night  our  pallet 
beds.  Major  —  is  particular  ;  and  his  persistence  in 
minute  directions  to  the  girl,  in  very  voluble  English, 
of  which  she  comprehends  not  one  word,  is  so  ludi- 
crous, that  our  respectful  attempts  to  smother  our 
mirth  usually  result  in  a  grand  explosion.  The 
major  then,  quite  red  in  the  face,  laughs  in  a  minor 
key. 

Armi  o  on  his  retreat,  dispersed  the  militia,  and 
took  with  him  the  few  regular  troops,  save  some  de- 
serters. He  had  to  abandon  his  artillery ;  and 
it  has  been  all  found  and  brought  to  the  city : 
there  are  nine  pieces ;  one   is  marked,  '*  Barcelona, 

1778." 

A  small  fort  is  to  be  immediately  commenced, 
on  a  hill  which  commands  the  town. 


NEW    MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  43 

The  great  square  or  plaza,  level,  unpaved  and 
rather  sa-ndy,  has  on  each  side  a  zequia,  or  canal, 
with  rows  of  small  Cottonwood  trees ;  this  has 
a  very  pleasing  effect  in  a  hot,  dry,  and  barren 
country.  It  is  farther  adorned  with  very  comfort- 
able porticoes, — portales^ — qx\  three  sides,  including 
the  palace  ;  these  are  extensions  of  the  flat  roofs  to 
the  edge  of  the  side-walk,  where  they  are  supported 
by  round  pillars,  which  are  whitewashed  ;  they  serve 
as  the  only  shelter  for  the  market ;  and  are  lined 
with  shops,  nearly  all  kept  by  Americans.  One  or 
two  streets  are  similarly  improved,  but  in  general 
they  are  narrow  and  present  to  the  passenger  only  a 
plain  and  nearly  continuous  wall;  each  extensive 
house  having  only  a  large  strong  folding  door,  and 
one  or  two  windows;  these  have  invariably  a  pro- 
jecting frame  and  turned  wooden  bars  ;  a  sash  sel- 
dom glazed — strong  shutters  opening  inwards. 

On  our  first  Sunday  the  bells  invited  us  to  wor- 
ship. I  went  to  the  parochial  church :  although 
built  of  adobes,  it  is  sufficiently  lofty,  and  has  two 
steeples,  or  towers,  in  which  hang  three  or  four 
bells.  With  the  usual  wax  images,  it  is  adorned 
with    numerous    paintings — one    or    two    of    some 


44  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

merit.  There  was  some  music,  of  violin  and  tri- 
angle, and  no  spoken  service.  The  streets  and 
shops  w^e  thronged,  and  nothing  indicated  there 
that  it  was  the  Lord's  day. 

The  General  has  issued  a  proclamation  denoun- 
cing the  penalties  of  treason  against  any  found  in 
hostility,  in  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico.  He  has 
directed  the  laws  and  decrees  here  found  existing  to 
be  translated  by  Captain  Waldo,  Missouri  Volun- 
teers, with  a  view  to  their  revision.* 

After  the  full  submission  of  the  territory,  and  the 

*  The  patient  reader  of  these  dry  details  and  descriptions,  which 
largely  share  the  dullness  of  almost  all  realities,  uho  looks  out  hope- 
fully for  some  scintillations  of  humor  as  a  merited  relief,  will  sym- 
pathise with  me  in  the  loss  of  Don  Santiago;  but  in  bidding  him 
farewell,  I  will  incur  the  guilt  of  an  anachronism,  by  giving  you 
here  a  characteristic  trait  or  two,  in  exigencies  which  soon  befell 
him,  as  they  will  do,  the  most  common  and  prosaic  mortals.  He 
got  authority,  as  soon  as  we  arrived,  to  push  on  with  his  friend  and 
faithful  imitator,  Gonzales,  to  Chihuahua,  he  being  in  fact  a  hab- 
itant of  that  state  (perhaps,  indeed  he  was  sent). 

There  arrived,  Gonzales  was  soon  sent  to  calaboose,  for' rehearsing 
in  his  cups,  the  Don's  mountain  speech,  as  was  predicted  ;  but 
Magoffin  too,  was  incarcerated,  as  a  spy:  his  life  was  really  long  in 
danger ;  but  I  am  happy  to  record  that  he  managed  to  dissolve  all 
charges,  prosecutions  and  enmities  in  three  thousand  three  hundred 
and  ninety  two  bottles  of  champagne  wine  ;  (by  a  close  computation,) 
and  he  lived  to  be  remunerated  by  our  government,  as  I  particularly 
know.  But  the  secrelaiy  said  to  him,  mildly,  "  Mr.  M.  ten  thousand 
dollars  is  a  very. large  item  for  wine."  "Yes,"  responded  the  Don 
with  gravity,  '*  but  Mr.  Secretary,  champagne  at  $37.50  a  basket 
counts  up  very  fast."     Try  it  yourself ! 


•      NEW   MEXICO  AND   CALIFORNIA.  45 

appointment  of  a  temporary  government,  it  becomes 
Gen.  Kearny's  duty  to  march  for  California,  with 
such  available  force  as  he  may  judge  requisite,  to 
repeat  the  same  rather  dramatic  exploits.  New 
Mexico  has  furnished  the  scene  of  a  good  rehearsal 
at  the  least. 

With  this  view  the  additional  regiment  and  bat- 
talion were  ordered  ;  and  these  reenforcements,  are 
supposed  to  be  now  well  on  their  march. 

Capt.  A.  R.  Johnston,  A.  D.  C.  has  been  espe- 
cially charged  with  the  important  subject  of  routes  to 
California  ;  two  are  represented  as  probably  practi- 
cable ;  the  more  northern  by  the  ''  old  Spanish 
trail,"  which  appears  on  some  maps — and  was  sug- 
gested by  the  Secretary  of  War  ;  Green  River,  and  a 
sand  desert  of  ninety  miles  are  considered  its  great 
obstacles  ;  and  unless  the  reenforcements  arrive  soon, 
difficulty  from  snow  is  also  apprehended.  The 
second  route  by  the  river  Gila  is  perhaps  less  known, 
but  is  pronounced  to  be  too  broken  and  mountainous 
for  wagons,  but  to  have  more  grass. 

August  2Zth. — The  General  has  decided  to  send 
a  second  column  by  the  southern  route  ;  leaving  the 
Rio  Grande  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  be- 


46  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

low,  and  thence  by  the  Rio  Gila ;  this  is  certainly 
impracticable  for  wagons.  The  probability  that  the 
Gila  will  become  our  national  boundary,  and  reports 
of  Aztec  ruins,  give  great  interest  to  this  expedition. 
Captain  Cooke  has  been  selected  to  command  it. 

The  fact  that  the  Spaniards,  in  their  northern 
explorations,  found  here  an  isolated  race  quite  ad- 
vanced in  civilization,  compared  to  some  tribes  to 
its  south,  might  prove  an  interesting  study  ;  that  it 
is  a  fact,  there  is  still  existing  proof  enough,  besides 
the  name.  New  Mexico ;  it  is  kindred  to  the  ques- 
tion of  Aztec  civilization. 

Was  that  an  original  civilization?  A  tradition 
is  reported  by  their  conquerors  that  points  to  an 
European  origin.  It  is  well  known  that  our  conti- 
nent was  discovered  and  repeatedly  visited  about 
A.D.  looo  by  Norsemen  ;  cest  le premier  pas  qui  coiite ; 
what  more  probable  than  that  such  adventurers 
should  be  attracted,  step  by  step,  toward  a  more 
genial,  and  to  them  a  stranger  clime  ! — should  have 
coasted  as  far  as  Mexico, — beyond  their  power  of  re- 
turn ; — to  communicate  to  an  ingenuous  race,  their 
own  moderate  stock  of  knowledge  and  civilized  arts  ; 
and   especially  that  remarkably   accurate  astronom- 


NEW   MEXICO  AND   CALIFORNIA.  47 

ical  knowledge  of  time,  which  may  well  be  ascribed 
to  navigators.  Gradually  absorbed,  in  five  hundred 
years,  should  we  not  look  for  just  the  traces  which 
were  found,  viz.,  an  improved  physical  race  ; — sensi- 
ble progress  in  art  and  social  science ; — and  a  tra- 
dition. 

General  Kearny  has  reported  to  the  Secretary  of 
War,  that  he  has  written  to  General  Wool,  directed 
to  Chihuahua,  that  his  expected  reenforcements 
promise  to  be  more  than  needed,  in  which  case  he 
will  order  a  regiment  South  to  report  to  him  ;  and 
should  General  Wool  not  need  them,  he  can  order 
them  on  to  General  Taylor. 

The  Navajos,  the  Spanish  spelling  of  their  name, 
which  is  pronounced  Navaho,  are  a  numerous,  and 
warlike  tribe  who  dwell  in  fastnesses  of  the  moun- 
tains westward  of  the  Del  Norte ;  they  have  ad- 
vanced few  of  the  usual  first  steps  of  civilization,  and 
therefore  very  remarkably  as  manufacturers;  for 
they  make  ponchos,  a  blanket  and  blanket  shawl, 
with  a  sht  in  the  middle  for  the  insertion  of  the  head. 
Besides  being  waterproof,  they  are  handsome, 
some  of  them  approaching  the  India  shawl  in  beauty 
and  costliness.     In  fact  the  Navajos  are  richer  than 


48  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

the  mass  of  the  people,  whose  flocks  and  herdsmen 
they  harry  ;  they  have  repressed  their  progress  and 
lived  on  their  spoil ;  the  inhabitants  have  even  been 
restrained  by  the  government  from  making  war 
upon  them,  except  by  special  permission ;  and  it  is 
charged  that  Armijo  used  them  as  an  effectual  check 
to  any  resistance  to  his  arbitrary  oppressions. 

The  influence  of  the  Spanish  protection  of  this 
and  the  neighboring  provinces  against  unconquered 
Indian  tribes,  began  to  cease  about  the  year  1832  ; 
and  from  that  date  they  have  decayed ;  it  is  esti- 
mated that  the  number  of  sheep  is  eighty  per  cent 
less  than  then.  I  am  assured  that  one  man  has 
lost  250,000 !  The  people  are  almost  confine"d  to 
villages. 

Except  in  narrow  valleys  and  narrow  strips, 
mostly  wooded,  reached  by  mountain  showers,  the 
whole  province,  alluvion  as  well  as  table-land,  is  so 
arid  as  to  seem  uninhabitable.  There  is  some  rain, 
but  an  elevation  of  from  four  thousand  to  seven 
thousand  feet,  and  the  absence  of  forests  and  even 
groves,  make  it  almost  nugatory.  Irrigation  is 
necessary  in  the  river  lands,  and  is  effectual,  where 
practicable,  on  the  hills. 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  49 

There  are,  indeed,  the  mile  or  two  wide  river 
bottoms  of  the  Rio  Abajo,  (lower  river,)  of  only  four 
to  five  thousand  feet  elevation,  which  although  very 
sandy,  are  quite  productive,  and  of  charming  climate  ; 
but  the  want  of  fuel  makes  even  that  best  district  un- 
attractive. Thus  any  considerable  immigration  can- 
not be  expected. 

It  should  not  be  omitted  that  the  precious  met- 
als have  been  long  known  to  be  very  diffusely 
found  here  ;  but  no  one  seems  ever  to  have  made 
a  fortune  in  the  mines.  A  pains-taking  culture  by 
irrigation,  and  sheep  pastures,  are  the  main  supports 
of  a  sparse  population  in  New  Mexico. 

They  make  sugar,  from  the  corn-stalk ;  butter — 
rather  a  test  of  civilization — scarcely  any ;  no  oats 
or  rye  are  produced,  few  potatoes  ;  onions,  very  fine, 
and  chile  Colorado,  are  the  chief  vegetables  ;  melons 
are  plenty. 

Yesterday  the  27th,  the  General,  or  Governor, 
gave  a  ball  to  all  the  officers,  and  to  citizens  gener- 
ally in  the  government  house  ;  it  was  a  political, 
or  conciliatory  affair,  and  we  put  the  best  face  on  it. 
The  women  are  comely, — remarkable  for  smallness 
of  hands  and  feet :  as  usual  in  such  states  of  society, 
3 


50  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

they  seem  superior  to  the  man ;  but  nowhere  else  is 
chastity  less  valued  or  expected. 

There  was  an  attempt  at  cotilions  ;  but  the  natives 
are  very  Germans  for  waltzing — and  they  possess  mu- 
sical ears  as  well.  Their  favorite,  called  appropriately 
the  cuna  (cradle)  is  peculiar ;  it  is  a  waltz  ;  but  the 
couple  stand  face  to  face;  the  gentldrrTan  encircles  his 
partner's  waist  with  both  arms ;  the  lady's  similarly 
disposed,  complete  the  sides  of  the  cradle  which  is  not 
bottomless,  for  both  parties  lean  well  back  as  they 
swing  around.  There  were  men  present  in  colored 
cotton  trowsers  secured  by  leathern  belts,  and  jack- 
ets, but  they  danced  well.  The  American  merchants 
were  of  course,  very  genteelly  represented ;  there 
were  twenty  or  thirty  of  them.  The  supper  was 
good,  particularly  in  cake.  The  fiddlers  accompanied 
their  music  at  times  by  verses,  sung  in  a  high  nasal 
key.  I  was  surprised,  but  amused  to  hear  one  of  our 
captains  join  in  this;  — and  he  could  waltz  them  all 
blind  ;- — but  we  got  him  from  the  navy. 

The  ball  went  off  harmoniously,  and  quite  pleas- 
antly, considering  the  extravagant  variety  in  its  make 
up.     But  we  did  not  feel  particular — out  here. 

August  31^/. — A  report  is  believed  that  a  Colonel 


-       NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  5 1 

Ugarte  is  entering  the  southern  extremity  of  the  ter- 
ritory with  some  five  hundred  regulars,  to  meet  and 
re-inforce  General  Armijo ;  this  must  hasten  the 
march  south,  which  has  been  announced. 

Four  hundred  wagons  of  supphes  have  been  re- 
ported on  the  way  out — as  also  Colonel  Price's 
regiment.  „ 

The  greatest  expense  of  this  invasion,  possibly, 
will  be  found  in  the  matter  of  transportation.  The 
territory  seems  quite  unequal  to  feed  its  seventeen 
hundred  conquerors  ;  they  have  received  for  weeks 
but  nine  ounces  of  ground  wheat  per  day,  and  no 
sugar  or  coffee  !  The  men  must  make  out  a  living 
from  other  resources ; — but  they  receive  no  pay,  and 
scurvy  is  making  its  appearance. 

I  marched  from  Santa  Fe  yesterday  with  half  of 
my  dragoons,  afoot,  twenty-six  miles  ; — seeking  to 
establish  a  grazing  camp  on  the  Galisteo.  After 
leaving  the  zequias,  which  invade  for  several  miles 
the  gravelly  table  land,  we  were  without  water  for 
near  twenty,  and  the  camp  is  a  mile  from  grass.  The 
ox  teams  with  baggage  lately  arrived  from  Missouri, 
set  out  half  a  day  in  advance,  but  did  not  come  up, 
and  so  we   bivouacked  ;  after  a  hot  day,  the   night 


52  THE  CONQUEST  OF 

being  rather  frosty,  I  caught  a  slight  cold.  It  is  a 
healthy  country,  but  catarrhs  and  pleurisy  are  not 
uncommon. 

September  \st. — Last  night  an  officer  came  for  dra- 
goons to  man  a  battery  of  four  howitzers,  and  with 
an  order  to  hold  myself  ready — until  farther  orders — 
to  march  south  at  an  hour's  notice  ;  the  General 
having  received  some  confirmation  of  the  junction 
of  Armijo  and  Ugarte  ;  we  are  also  to  move  over  to 
the  main  southern  road  to-morrow. 

September  2d. — We  marched,  accordingly,  eighteen 
miles,  leaving  the  nearly  dry  Galisteo  for  the  table 
land.  In  a  vale  at  noon,  finding  some  grass,  although 
there  was  no  water,  I  stopped  an  hour  to  graze ; 
this  on  Dugald  Dalgetty's  principle,  which  in  this 
country  must  be  applied  to  horses  and  mules.  Ap- 
proaching the  Rio  Grande  we  came  to  the  broken 
descent  of  a  small  stream,  and  a  rancho  ;  a  few  cot- 
tonwoods  or  poplars  added  much  attraction'  to  its 
appearance, — so  rare  is  this  only  "  ornamental " 
tree  ;  and  we  saw  the  dust  of  the  mile  long  column 
of  the  General's  march  toward  the  south. 

The  little  valley  of  this  farm-house  looked  quite 
green  ;   but,    as    usual,  the    grass   had   been    closely 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  53 

cropped  ;  one  of  the  merchants  bound  for  Chihuahua 
— they  are  all  still  involuntary  Micawbers — having 
here  established  his  caravan  ;  his  mules  contended 
with  the  farmer's  sheep,  asses  and  goats  for  a  sub- 
sistence. 

And  so  we  camped  a  mile  further,  on  the  dusty 
upland  where  we  found  scant  buffalo  grass  and  that 
called  grama. 

Professor  Torrey  seems  to  have  pronounced 
buffalo  grass  ''  polygamous  by  abortion ;"  the 
phrase,  if  possible  to  be  understood,  referring  to 
his  belief  that  its  flower  is  not  fertile.  But  I  have 
gathered  much  of  its  fruit — like  large  grains  of  oats 
truncated.  But  I  have  also  seen,  with  the  pregnant 
if,  that  I  could  believe  my  eyes,  the  buffalo  and  the 
grama,  so  very  different  in  most  respects,  growing 
from  the  same  root !  if  that  constitutes  vegetable  po- 
lygamy ;  but  they  are  the  very  same  in  being  frost- 
proof and  good  substantial  food  for  the  granivora. 

The  baggage  wagons  having  gone  astray,  we 
had  until  after  dark  a  prospect  of  being  supperless 
and  shelterless,  even  without  fires ;  for  it  is  by  many 
expedients  that  we  manage  to  have  fuel,  even  for 
cooking. 


54  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

A  message  from  the  General  sets  at  rest,  as  un- 
founded, the  prospect  of  hostilities  further  south. 
Colonel  Ugarte  did  march  over  the  border ;  and  if 
Armijo  had  proved  a  good  soldier,  our  conquest 
might  well  have  furnished  better  elements  for  an 
epic.  We  are  commanded  to  devote  ourselves  to 
preparing  the  horses  for  the  California  expedition. 

September  /\th. —  Yesterday  the  General  left  his 
column  and  baggage  and  turned  aside,  escorted  by  a 
squadron  of  dragoons,  to  visit  the  Pueblo  Indian 
town  of  Santo  Domingo,  having  been  invited  to  do 
so,  several  days  ago.  Not  having  been  present,  I 
will  give  a  picturesque  description  of  the  visit,  by  a 
staff  officer,  the  more  interesting  as  concerning  this 
tribe  without  the  pale  of  citizenship,  but  more  moral, 
and  superior  in  some  other  respects  to  the  mass  of 
the  people  ;  their  extraordinary  abstinence  from 
mixture  of  blood  reminds  one  of  the  Jews. 

He  writes:  ''From  height  to  height,  as  we 
advanced,  we  saw  horsemen  disappearing  at  full 
speed.  As  we  arrived  abreast  of  the  town,  we 
were  shown,  by  the  guard,  posted  for  the  pur- 
pose, the  road  to  Santo  Domingo.  "^  *  We  had 
not    proceeded    far,    before    we   met  ten  or    fifteen 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  55 

sachemic  looking  old  Indians,  well  mounted,  two 
of  them  carrying  gold-headed  canes  with  tassels,  the 
emblems  of  office  in  New  Mexico. 

Salutations  over,  we  jogged  along,  and  in  the 
course  of  conversation,  the  alcalde,  a  grave  and  ma- 
jestic old  Indian,  said,  as  if  casually,  "  We  shall 
meet  some  Indians  presently,  mounted  and  dressed 
for  war,  but  they  are  the  young  men  of  my  town, 
friends,  come  to  receive  you,  and  I  wish  you  to  cau- 
tion your  men  not  to  fire  upon  them  when  they  ride 
towards  them."  • 

When  within  a  few  miles  of  the  town,  we  saw  a 
cloud  of  dust  rapidly  advancing,  and  soon  the  air 
was  rent  with  a  terrible  yell,  resembling  the  Florida 
war-whoop.  The  first  object  that  caught  my  eye 
through  the  column  of  dust,  was  a  fierce  pair  of 
buffalo  horns,  overlapped  with  long  shaggy  hair. 
As  they  approached,  the  sturdy  form  of  a  naked 
Indian  revealed  itself  beneath  the  horns,  with  shield 
and  lance,  dashing  at  full  speed,  on  a  white  horse, 
which,  like  his  body,  was  painted  all  the  colors  of  the 
rainbow ;  and  then,  one  by  one  his  followers  came 
on,  painted  to  the  eyes,  their  own  heads  and  their 
horses,  covered  with  all  the  strange  equipments  that 


$6  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

the  brute  creation  could  afford  in  the  way  of  horns, 
skulls,  feathers,  tails  and  claws. 

As  they  passed  us,  one  rank  on  each  side,  they 
fired  a  volley  under  our  horses'  bellies  from  the  right 
and  from  the  left.  Our  well-trained  dragoons  sat 
motionless  on  their  horses,  which  went  along  with- 
out pricking  an  ear  or  showing  any  sign  of  excite- 
ment. 

Arrived  in  the  rear,  the  Indians  circled  round, 
dropped  into  a  walk  on  our  flanks  until  their  horses 
recovered  breath,  when  off  they  went  at  full  speed 
passing  to  our  front,  and  when  there,  the  opposite 
files  met,  and  each  man  selected  his  adversary  and 
kept  up  a  running  fight,  with  muskets,  lances,  and 
bows  and  arrows.  Sometimes  a  fellow  would  stoop 
almost  to  the  earth  to  shoot  under  his  horse's  belly, 
at  full  speed,  or  to  shield  himself  from  an  impending 
blow.  So  they  continued  to  pass  and  repass  all  the 
way  to  the  steep  cliff  which  overhangs  the'  town. 
There  they  filed  on  each  side  of  the  road,  which 
descends  through  a  deep  cafion,  and  halted  on  the 
peaks  of  the  cliffs.  Their  motionless  forms  projected 
against  the  clear  blue  sky  above,  formed  studies  for 
an  artist.     In   the   canon   we   were  joined    by   the 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  57 

priest,  a  fat  old  white  man.  We  were  escorted  first 
to  the  padre's,  of  course  ;  for  here,  as  everywhere, 
these  men  are  the  most  intelligent,  and  the  best  to 
do  in  the  world,  and  when  the  good  people  wish  to 
put, their  best  foot  foremost,  the  padre's  wines,  beds, 
and  couches  have  to  suffer.  The  entrance  to  the 
portal  was  lined  with  the  women  of  the  village,  all 
dressed  alike,  and  ranged  in  treble  files  ;  they  looked 
fat  and  stupid. 

We  were  shown  into  his  reverence's  parlor,  tapes- 
tried with  curtains  stamped  with  the  likenesses  of  all 
the  Presidents  of  the  United  States  up  to  this  time. 
The  cushions  were  of  spotless  damask,  and  the 
couch  covered  with  a  white  Navajo  blanket,  worked 
in  richly  colored  flowers. 

The  air  was  redolent  with  the  perfume  of  grapes 
and  melons,  and  every  crack  of  door  and  windows 
glistening  with  the  bright  eyes  and  arms  of  the 
women  of  the  capilla.  The  old  priest  was  busy 
talking  in  the  corner,  and  little  did  he  know  the 
game  of  sighs  and  signs  carried  on  between  the 
young  fellows  and  the  fair  inmates  of  the  house. 
We  had  our  gayest  array  of  young  men  out  to-day, 
and  the  women  seemed  to  me  to  drop  their  usual 
3* 


58  .         THE   CONQUEST   OF 

subdued  look  and  timid  wave  of  the  eye-lash  for 
good  hearty  twinkles  and  signs  of  unaffected  and 
cordial  welcome — signs  supplying  the  place  of  con- 
versation, as  neither  party  could  speak  the  language 
of  the  other.  This  little  exchange  of  the  artillery  of 
eyes  was  amusing  enough,  but  I  was  very  glad  to 
see  the  padre  move  towards  the  table,  and  remove 
the  pure  white  napkin  from  the  grapes,  melons  and 
wine.  We  were  as  thirsty  as  heat  and  dust  could 
make  us,  and  we  relished  the  wine  highly,  whatever 
its  quality.  The  sponge  cake  was  irreproachable, 
and  would  have  done  honor  to  our  best  northern 
house-keepers.  Indeed,  wherever  we  have  feasted, 
the  sponge  cake  has  been  in  profusion,  and  of  the 
best  kind.  After  the  repast,  the  General  went  for- 
ward on  the  portal  and  delivered  a  speech  to  the 
assembled  people  of  the  town,  which  was  iirst  inter- 
preted into  Spanish,  and  then  into  Pueblo. 

It  is  impossible  to  arrive  at  the  precise  population 
of  the  town,  but  I  should  judge  it  to  be  about  six 
hundred,  and  the  quantity  of  ground  under  tillage 
for  their  support  about  five  hundred  acres.  Six 
miles  lower  they  passed  San  Felippe,  "  suggesting 
pictures  we  see  of  castles  on  the  Rhine." 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  5g 

We  marched  yesterday  toward  Santa  Fe  in 
search  of  grass  ;  winding  among  the  hills  we  passed 
several  spring  branches ;  making  inquiries  at  the 
houses,  the  people  were  evidently  averse  to  our  stop- 
ping, regarding  us  perhaps,  in  the  light  of  a  swarm 
of  locusts ;  and  so,  there  was  generally  good  grass 
several  miles  further  on  ;  they  object  to  selling  the 
green  corn.  Camp  at  last  was  established  twelve 
miles  from  the  city,  in  a  long  strip  of  green  m^eadow, 
clipped  indeed,  but  making  a  pleasant  camp.  A 
sod  for  the  floor  of  a  tent  is  here  a  luxury. 

Septefnber  ^th. — Making  a  virtue  of  necessity,  or 
really  having  a  surplus,  the  small  farmers  begin  to 
sell  their  patches  of  corn ;  it  is  cut  at  the  root, 
brought  in  wagons  to  camp,  and  fed  at  night  to 
horses,  ear,  blade  and  stalk ;  and  there  is  not  a  par- 
ticle of  litter  in  the  morning.  The  poor  horses  are 
taken  about  nine  o'clock,  several  miles,  to  graze  on 
the  scant  grass  of  the  upland,  where  there  is  no 
water,  and  are  brought  in  at  three  o'clock.  It  is 
not  a  pleasant  duty  to  herd  them  on  a  bare  prairie 
six  or  seven  hours,  through  the  heat  of  the  day ; 
there  was  a  little  rain  this  afternoon. 

Near  us  is  a  house  prettily    situated  on  a  point 


6o  THE  CONQUEST   OF 

of  hill  overlooking  corn  fields  ;  but  its  chief  beauty 
is  a  small  grove  of  cottonwoods  ;  the  little  fields 
fill  the  irregular  vaUeys,  and  are  without  fences;  even 
here  they  are  irrigated ;  the  soil,  of  hill  or  table 
land  and  valley  is  nearly  the  same  ;  the  high  ground 
near  Santa  Fe  is  in  cultivation. 

The  sheep  here  are  very  small,  the  wool  quite 
coarse ;  but  the  flesh  is  of  excellent  flavor.  The 
wool,  without  a  market,  is  used  for  mattresses,  which 
are  very  well  made  and  comfortable,  and  for  carpets 
and  packing  blankets. 

To  the  philosophic  observer  of  the  infinitely  wise 
adaptations  throughout  Nature,  it  is  not  surprising 
that  in  those  portions  of  our  earth  rendered  barren 
by  elevation,  want  of  rain  and  excessive  evapora- 
tion, there  is  always  found  a  configuration  which 
makes  irrigation  easy  and  suggests  it.  I  have  seen, 
in  Utah,  an  irrigating  ditch,  on  upland,  straight  for 
miles ! — I  have  pronounced  ground  of  gravel  and 
sand,  producing  nothing  but  a  few  stunted  weeds  of 
one  species,  as  utterly  worthless, — and  afterward  be- 
held it  green  with  almost  tropical  profusion, — its 
latent  germs  vivified  by  water. 

The  few  rich  men  live   in  the  Rio  Abajo  ;  their 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  6l 

extensive  plastered  and  whitewashed  residences, 
built  around  large  courts,  are  quite  imposing  ;  and 
each  contains,  the  key  of  their  wealth,  a  store  of  ne- 
cessaries for  their  dependent  laborers.  This  is  the 
system  of  peonage  ;  at  their  own  prices  they  manage 
to  keep  the  poor  peons  always  in  debt,  and  this  le- 
gally binds  them  and  their  families  to  endless  service 
and  dependence ;  and  they  can  be  cast  off,  without 
any  provision  in  their  old  age.  They  have  been  in- 
formed that  they  shall  soon  have  a  voice  in  their 
own  government.  Doubtless  this  flagrant  servitude 
will  be  gradually  broken  up  ;  but  when  shall  such 
people  be  capable  of  self-government !  There  will 
be  a  territorial  government  for  thirty  years* — and 
the  language  will  not  change  faster  than  the  color  of 
the  citizens. 

All  the  advantages  seem  to  be  with  the  conquer- 
ed. What  for  us?  except  the  convenience  of  a 
rounded  boundary  ;  it  is  not  the  route  to  California  ; 
these  routes  will  be  above  or  below.*  The  procla- 
mation of  Governor  Kearny  "  announces  his  inten- 
tion to  hold  the  Department  with  its  original  bound- 
aries [on  both  sides  of  the  Del  Norte]  as  a  part  of 
*  These  words  were  written  Sept.  5th,  1846. 


62  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

the  United  States,  and  under  the  name  of  the  Ter- 
ritory of  New  Mexico." 

This  overleaps  the  first  announcement  which 
seemed  the  assertion  of  the  old  Texan  claim. 
/'  The  Mormon  Battalion  is  now  not  expected  be- 
fore  October,  that  will  be  too  late  for  the  northern 
route  to  California ;  and  the  last  information  seems 
to  make  that  by  the  Gila  River  impracticable  for 
want  of  grass,  if  at  all  practicable  for  wagons.  And 
so  there  would  remain  only  along  route  through  So- 
nora.  Evidence  is  all  doubtful  or  false  ; — false  wil- 
fully, or  only  from  lack  of  judgment  as  to  the  needs  of 
a  large  force  compared  to  that  of  a  few  adventurers. 

September  Jth. — I  visited  Santa  Fe  yesterday  ;  a 
tall,  handsome  flagstaff  has  just  been  erected  in  the 
plaza,  conveying  perhaps  some  idea  of  permanency 
to  the  ignorant  people  ;  while  the  fort  on  the  hill 
begins  to  show  itself  to  the  town.  Great  complaint, 
however,  is  made  that  the  volunteers  will  scarcely 
work;  daily  labor  was  not  embraced  in  their  con- 
ceptions of  war ;  it  goes  some  way  to  prove  that 
democracy  and  discipline — of  the  miHtary  sort — are 
not  entirely  congenial.  The  fort  is  named  Marcy, 
after  the  eminent  statesman. 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  63 

I  visited  to-day  the  house  near  camp, — of  ex- 
ceptional character  and  surroundings ;  a  pleasant 
portal  in  front  of  a  fine  room,  looks  upon  a  small 
grove  of  well  grown  cottonwood  trees ;  these  deriv- 
ing their  verdure,  or  rather  their  existence,  from  a 
fast  flowing  spring  in  their  midst.  From  the  house 
we  also  see  the  rather  narrow  winding  valley,  highly 
cultivated,  walled  in  by  little  rock  precipices  ;  there 
is,  too,  an  ancient  round  tower  of  two  floors, — the 
upper  story  of  stone  ;  it  is  loop-holed,  and  a  stone 
wall  crossing  some  low  hills  is  very  remarkable.  The 
happy  proprietor  is  a  rather  cultivated  man  ;  and  his 
Spanish  was  pleasant  to  hear. 

The  country  generally,  off  the  river,  is  not  appro- 
priated in  severalty.  Colonel  Doniphan,  who  is  a 
lawyer  of  high  repute,  is  codifying  and  revising  the 
laws;  he  tells  me  of  this,  and  many  peculiar  difficul- 
ties; the  civil  law  as  adopted  by  Spain  is  their  basis; 
its  adaptations  are  rather  from  many  departmental 
decrees,  than  National  legislation  ;  and  so  low  has 
been  the  state  of  administration  of  justice  in  this 
province,  that  suits  of  any  importance  have  been  re- 
moved seven  or  eight  hundred  miles  to  Chihuahua. 

Our  fuel  is  brought  nine  miles,  and  the   nights 


64  THE   CONQUEST    OF 

are  very  cold.  This  pure  atmosphere  has  often  a 
peculiar  haze  or  blueness  which  is  unaccounted  for; 
the  nearest  mountains  look  dark  blue,  and  when 
covered  by  cedars  and  pines,  almost  black. 

September  nth. — I  slept  last  night  under  a  thick 
blanket  and  buffalo  robe. 

The  Pueblos  bring  in  for  sale  melons,  onions, 
corn,  sugar  and  molasses,  bread,  and  above  all,  deli- 
cious grapes;  they  are  as  large  as  musket  balls,  the 
bunches  of  about  a  pound  weight ;  in  no  other  part 
of  the  world,  as  I  think,  are  there  grapes  so  palat- 
able. The  cultivation,  and  I  am  told  it  is  the 
same  in  California,  is  peculiar;  pruning  is  so  ex- 
treme that  the  growth  ceases  to  be  a  vine,  and  be- 
comes a  single  stem  four  or  five  feet  high,  which  sup- 
ports the  short  branches  and  fruit :  thus  it  is  a  bush. 
The  wine  they  make  here  is  not  highly  praised. 

The  General  passed  up  this  afternoon  ;  the 
national  flag  is  to  be  hoisted  on  the  new  staff,  first 
in  his  presence,  under  a  national  salute. 

Some  of  the  staff  tell  us  that  their  march  was  a 
gala  procession,  extending  only  ninety  miles  to  San 
Tome.  They  arrived  there  on  their  saint's  day  ;  long 
tallow  candles  were  put  into  the  hands  of  the  officers 


•  'NEW    MEXICO  AND,  CALIFORNIA. 

to  carry  in  procession,  following  his  waxen  effigy  ; 
and  this  was  considerably  protracted,  by  repeated 
addresses  to  his  saintship.  At  night- th^re  were 
fireworks,  rockets  from  doors  and  windows  of  the 
church,  bonfires  on  the  adobe  turrets,  etc.  The  vil- 
lage was  crowded.  Families  journeyed  in  their  prim- 
itive wagons,  rough  boxes  on  solid  wooden  wheels. 
Women  came  on  donkeys  and  mules,  on  which 
last  they  invariably  ride  in  front  of  men,  who  nev- 
ertheless hold  the  reins.  There  are  few  horses  in  the 
country.       ■• 

The  officers  partook  of  a  collation  at  the  padre  s. 
The  ladies  never  made  their  appearance  at  the 
houses  at  which  the  general  and  officers  were  enter- 
tained ;  one  of  them  at  an  accidental  interview  with 
an  officer  proved  exceedingly  inquisitive  as  to  our 
country;  when  questioned  as  to  Armijo,  she  abused 
him,  and  pointing  to  his  shoulder  straps,  exclaimed, 
*' I  don't  know  how  any  man  wearing  these  things 
could  run  away  as  he  did  ;  he  had  a  good  army  to 
back  him,  and  could  have  driven  you  all  back." 

The  Navajos  are  continually  making  raids  on 
these  poor  people ;  they  seem,  to  have  had  the  pol- 
icy to  avoid  utterly  ruining  them,  and  to  leave  them 


66  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

the  means  of  increase  for  the  perpetual  enforcement 
of  contributions.  They  have  made  irruptions  within 
two  or  three  miles  of  our  troops.  Protection  has 
been  promised,  and  even  compensation  for  losses 
since  our  arrival. 

September  22d. — Gen.  Kearny  approved  and  de- 
creed an  *'  organic  law  for  the  territory  of  New  Mexi- 
co, in  the  United  States  of  America;"  it  grants  the 
electoral  franchise  to  "  all  free  male  citizens  of  the 
territory ;"  and  '*  the  first  election  of  a  delegate  to 
the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  and  for  members 
of  the  general  assembly  shall  be  on  the  first  Monday 
in  August,  A.  D.  1847."  '  It  comprises  the  usual  '*  Bill 
of  Rights,"  also  "  Laws  for  the  government  of  the 
territory,"  including  all  details  of  administration,  in 
the  judicial,  and  every  other  department ; — revenue, 
registry  of  lands,  costs,  fees,  fines,  etc.,  etc. 

The  same  day,  ''  being  duly  authorized  by  the 
President,"  etc.,  he  appointed  Charles  Bent  to  be 
Governor ;  also  a  secretary,  marshal,  U.  S.  district 
attorney,  (Francis  P.  Blair)  ;  a  treasurer,  auditor, 
and  three  judges  of  the  superior  court. 

September  2id. — There  is  no  mail  to  the  States, 
and  no  estabhshed  communication ;  but  Col.  Price's 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  6/ 

regiment  is  known  to  be  well  advanced  on  his 
march  ;  and  Colonel  Doniphan's  regiment  is  to-day- 
ordered,  when  relieved  by  Price's,  to  march  to  Chi- 
huahua. Captain  Hudson  of  Doniphan's,  has  been 
ordered  to  organize  a  troop  of  one  hundred  men, 
who  will  volunteer  from  that  regiment,  to  be 
mounted  on  mules  to  accompany  the  Mormon  bat- 
talion to  California. 

(Capt.  H.  failed  to  raise  the  troop  ;  the  result 
of  a  want  of  specie,  and  other  difficulty  in  procuring 
their  mount.) 

Our  horses  have  become  poorer,  notwithstand- 
ing all  efforts  to  recruit  them  by  all  means  avail- 
able. 

The  days  are  still  hot  ;  we  were  told  on  our  ar- 
rival, August  1 8,  that  the  rainy  season  had  begun 
about  a  week  before,  and  that  it  lasted  two  or  three 
weeks;  but  a  gentle  sprinkle  of  the  mountain  show- 
ers reaches  us  now,  nearly  every  day. 

This  country  is  nearly  destitute  of  game.  Prairie- 
dog  villages  are  common,  and  there  is  one  actually 
joining  my  camp  ;  the  dogs  are  not  molested,  and  are 
very  tame.  I  suppose  them  to  be  the  most  numerous 
mammals  of  North  America ;  we  find  their  "  towns  " 


68  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

spread  all  over  the  high  and  dry  regions ;  they  live 
on  the  roots  and  blades  of  the  grama  grasses  ;  and 
seem  to  require  no  water. 

The  southern  promontory  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, which  overlooks  Santa  Fe,  is  now  white  with 
snow. 

September  2^th. — To-morrow  is  now  set  for  the 
beginning  of  our  venturesome  expedition  through 
the  unknown  wilderness  of  mountains  and  dry  plains 
to  the  Pacific  Ocean ;  we  have  had  a  boisterous, 
rainy  night,  our  first. 

Nothing  is  heard  of  the  war  in  Mexico ;  our  posi- 
tion here  has  been  unfortunate,  irksome,  disheart- 
ening— so  far  from  the  "sabre  clash"  of  the  sunny 
South!  Truly  there  is  a  ''Fortune  of  War;"  and 
the  pedestal  of  the  goddess  is  Opportunity!  That 
a  soldier  should  pass  through  a  war  without  distinc- 
tion I  used  to  think — and  does  not  the  world  ? — is  to 
be  set  down  to  his  fault  or  want  of  merit.  But  how 
near  were  some  of  us  to  being  excluded  from  all 
action,  and  in  spite  of  our  vehement  applications  ; 
and  how  much  resignation  to  the  consciousness  of 
mere  duty  performed,  is  the  only  support  of  our 
obscure  lot,  in  this  field  of  war's  drudgery  ! 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  69 

"The  world" — which  means  that  average  mass 
of  low  grade  in  intelHgence  and  information,  and 
absorbed,  following  the  law  of  their  natures,  in  the 
small  but  important  interests  of  self, — is  only  reached 
by  the  most  brilliant  and  striking  actions,  or  by  long 
continued  great  prominence  of  action.  Working  in 
this  obscurity,  our  most  faithful,  venturous,  long-con- 
tinued labors,  amid  all  privations  and  exposures, 
fruitful  though  they  prove  to  be  in  the  annexation 
of  imperial  extents  of  territory,  conquering  Nature 
itself  in  its  most  naked  and  forbidding  shapes,  shall 
be  ignorantly  accepted — placed  in  the  appendix,  as  it 
were,  of  history.  Momentary  actions,  of  excitement 
so  exhilarating  as  to  exclude  the  thought  of  danger, 
shall  receive  the  shouts  of  crowds,  the  applause  of 
the  nation  ;  and  history  shall  eloquently  record  the 
success  of  deeds  resulting  from  some  obscure  inspi- 
ration, some  subordinate  act.  But  the  working  out 
shall  be  done  by  the  heroic  rank  and  file,  of  whom 
so  many  shall  moulder  in  unknown  trenches,  named 
only  in  company  records. 

To-morrow,  three  hundred  wilderness-worn  dra- 
goons, in  shabby  and  patched  clothing,  who  have 
long  been  on   short  allowance  of  food,  set  forth  to 


n 


THE   CONQUEST   OF 


conquer  or  ''  annex  "  a  Pacific  empire ;  to  take  a 
leap  in  the  dark  of  a  thousand  miles  of  wild  plains 
and  mountains,  only  known  in  vague  reports  as 
unwatered,  and  with  several  deserts  of  two  and 
three  marches  where  a  camel  might  starve  if  not 
perish  of  thirst. 

Our  success — we  never  doubt  it !  and  the  very 
desperation  of  any  alternative  must  ensure  it — 
shall  give  us  for  boundary,  that  world  line  of  a 
mighty  ocean's  coast,  looking  across  to  the  cradle 
land  of  humanity ;  and  shall  girdle  the  earth  with 
civilization.  Then,  will  one  name  be  added  to  the 
roll  of  fame?  A  single  dash  on  a  blazing  battery 
shall  win  more  applause,  and  more  reward. 

We  are  haunted  by  the  ghostly  shapes  of  our 
starving  horses.  To  this  camp  where  they  were 
tied  up  on  bare  sand — escaping  their  guards  who 
are  to  drive  them  to  Missouri, — passing  by  fenceless 
corn-fields ;  here,  as  if  to  make  dumb  reproach  for 
ingratitude — to  forbid  this  severance  of  old  asso- 
ciation, they  come  threading  their  way  by  day  and 
by  night  through  the  tents ;  their  gaunt  shapes 
upbraid  us,  their  sunken  eyes  make  pathetic  appeal. 
Some  of  them,  to  my  knowledge,  have  served   thir- 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  /I 

teen  years  ;  would  it  not  be  a  consolation  to  inform 
them  that  their  half-breed  successors  are  chosen  for 
a  forlorn  hope !  But  they  are  cast  adrift  as  useless 
servants,  to  take  a  desperate  journey  of  eight  hundred 
miles,  with  grass  for  food,  and  much  of  that  destroyed 
by  frost.     Farewell  forever,  old  friends  ! 

September  26th. — At  7.30  this  morning  began 
our  first  march  ;  after  the  hot  and  dreary  twenty-one 
miles  of  table  land,  we  descended  into  the  bottom 
land  of  El  Rio  Grande  del  Norte  ;  here  wholly  ours, 
and  its  lower  course  illustrated  by  our  arms,  this 
name  can  no  more  swell  pleasantly  on  the  tongue 
of  the  Mexican. 

The  camp  is  on  a  zequia ;  and  so  far  from  its 
source,  that  its  bottom  is  above  the  camp  ;  and  close 
beyond  is  a  lower  one ;  the  fields  of  maize  are 
near.  This  mile  wide  savanna,  not  too  sandy  to  be 
very  green,  I  have  no  doubt  was  charming  to  the 
eyes  of  our  mules, — fasting  and  thirsting,  through  a 
long  day  of  toil  ;  but  for  them,  it  is  very  like  seat- 
ing a  famishing  man  to  the  dessert  of  a  vanished 
dinner.  Well  in  truth  the  comparison  is  not  far- 
fetched ;  —  for  our  sole  fuel  is  some  cedar  boughs  we 
gathered    while  passing  the  Galistco,  and  the    Pu- 


72  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

eblos  from  San  Domingo  have  extemporized  a  very 
fair  market  in  our  camp.  They  bring  only  fruit,  mel- 
ons, peaches,  and  the  delightful  grapes.  I  should  not 
omit  the  onions,  for  they  are  truly  the  finest  in  the 
world,  and — can  be  eaten  raw. 

September  27///. — A  day  of  small  mishaps,  begin- 
ning with  a  provoking  but  most  lively  mule  adven- 
ture. When  the  regiment  was  ready  to  march,  a  loose 
mule  of  my  troop,  dragging  a  long  rope,  had  been 
pursued  for  an  hour  by  several  men ;  the  march 
began,  leaving  me  to  send  out  my  whole  company 
to  catch  the  perverse  and  most  active  beast  ;  and  it 
was  actually  another  hour,  the  whole  of  them  gal- 
loping around,  assisted  by  numbers  of  Indians  on 
foot,  before  we  succeeded.  Fourteen  Indians  were 
"  in  at  the  death ;"  one  remarkable  fellow  must  have 
run  about  six  miles. 

Then  I  marched,  and  in  a  mile  or  two  found  my 
wagon  with  the  pole  broken  short  off,  in  passing  one 
of  the  zequias  with  the  usual  troublesome  steep 
banks ;  if  it  had  been  irreparable,  it  is  hard  to  say 
what  could  have  been  done,  with  nothing  but  cot- 
tonwoods  within  a  day's  ride. 

The  bottom  now  expands,  with  pleasant  groves 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  73 

in  view  ;  it  looks  more  like  a  habitable  country.  We 
passed  several  pueblos,  and  then  Bernalillo,  the 
prettiest  village  of  the  Territory  .  Its  view,  as  we 
approached,  was  refreshing ;  green  meadows,  good 
square  houses,  and  a  church,  cottonv/oods,  vine- 
yards, orchards — these  jealously  walled  in  ;  and  there 
were  numbers  of  small  fat  horses  grazing.  The  people 
seemed  of  superior  class, — handsomer  and  cleaner. 
But  parts  of  this  bottom  had  sand  hillocks,  with 
their  peculiar  arid  growths. 

At  another  village  I  overtook  the  regiment,  and 
brought  it  on,  leaving  the  general  and  Some  others 
dining  at  an  immense  house  owned  by  young  Perea. 
I  made  camp  seventeen  miles  from  our  last,  near  a 
village ;  the  grass  poor  and  thin,  and  no  fuel.  We 
have  to  make  the  best  of  weeds  and  chance  frag- 
ments. The  wagons  came  up  at  sunset,  some  of  the 
mules  already  breaking  down,  from  the  heavy  draught 
of  sandy  roads. 

There  are  myriads  of  wild  fowl — geese,  brant, 
sand-cranes;  the  people  seem  never  even  to  molest 
them ! 

For  two  days,  continuing  the  march,  great 
efforts  have  been  made  to  exchange  mules,  evidently 


74  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

unfit  for  the  expedition,  for  better,  and  also  to 
make  purchases.  Approaching  Albuquerque,  I  rode 
for  miles  as  through  a  straggling  village.  At  one  of 
the  Armijos  I  partook,  with  the  General,  of  a  colla- 
tion of  grapes,  cakes,  and  syrup  lemonade.  The 
general  quizzed  a  padre  of  the  company,  about  the 
relations  of  the  Mexican  church  with  Rome ;  the 
padre  contended  that  the  suspended  relations  were 
the  consequence  solely  of  the  revolution.  I  also 
dined  there ;  the  table  service  presented  a  mixture 
of  silver  gilt  with  tin  and  earthenware :  we  see  also 
silver  forks  with  the  commonest  bone -handled 
knives.  A  son  of  fifteen  lately  returned  from  college 
at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  remarked  he  was  going  to 
Mexico  to  finish  his  education  ! 

At  Albuquerque  we  forded  the  river,  which  is 
about  two  feet  deep  and  twenty-five  yards  wide  ;  it 
is  low,  but  does  not  rise  more  than  two  feet.  This  is 
several  hundred  miles  from  the  sources  of  the  river ; 
but  into  the  account  of  its  swift  flowing  waters,  several 
zequias  should  be  taken,  and  these  are  eight  to  ten 
feet  wide,  and  about  two  feet  deep.  We  marched 
about  seven  miles  down  the  river,  through  a  sandy 
plain,  without  fuel,  scarcely  inhabited  or  cultivated, 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  75 

and  camped  at  a  zequia.  We  are  opposite,  it  seems, 
a  pass  of  the  Navajos ;  and  but  a  few  days  ago  they 
made  an  irruption,  killed  several  persons,  and  drove 
off  about  two  thousand  sheep. 

The  quarter-master  has  hired  several  wagons 
and  teams  to  go  a  few  marches,  at  eight  dollars  a 
day  ;  only  five  dollars  were  demanded,  if  protected, 
in  returning,  against  the  Indians. 

September  30//2. — We  pass  to-day  immense  corn- 
fields ;  the  fruitfulness  of  the  sandy  soil  is  attributed 
to  a  gypsum  ingredient ;  the  common  houses  have 
window  lights  of  its  laminated  crystals.  We  pass 
several  handsome  villaq-es  ; — Padillas,  Isletta.  This 
last  is  a  Pueblo,  and  is  on  a  swell  of  the  bottom, 
surrounded  by  green  meadows,  and  sand  hillocks. 
On  the  river  we  saw  large  groves  ;^ — the  vineyards 
are,  as  usual,  protected  by  high  adobe  walls.  I  ob- 
served there  a  singular  fashion  of  the  women  ;  the 
short  skirts  revealed  the  legs  bandaged  to  an  evidently 
unnatural  size.   But  they  were  not  destitute  of  beauty. 

*  If  it  were  possible  for  the  reader  to  put  himself  in  full  sympa- 
thy with  any  participator  in  the  marches  and  explorations  of  this 
volume,  he  would  not  wonder  at  an  unfailing  and  glad  mention  of 
any  green  thing, — especially  those  masterpieces  of  the  vegetable  king- 
dom, to  wit,  trees.  Pleasing  and  strange  to  hi?  eyes  ! — strong  reminders 
of  home  !  and,  so  suggestive  of  the  infinite  comfort  of  fuel  ! 


76  THE  CONQUEST   OF 

After  a  black  frost  last  night,  the  heat  to-day  was 
severe  ;  we  marched  but  thirteen  miles  ;  but  were  in 
all  respects  in  miserable  plight  for  such  an  expedi- 
tion. We  are  endeavoring,  as  we  go,  to  complete 
our  outfit  in  ^72^  important  particular, — that  of  mules. 

October  \st. — Still  warm  weather  and  distress- 
ing dust.  All  the  houses  and  villages  we  are  now 
passing  are  adorned  by  Cottonwood  ;  but  all  the 
same,  we  are  much  straitened  for  fuel  ;  I  paid 
twenty-five  cents  for  a  small  stick.  The  Quarter- 
master crossed  over  to  Valencia  this  morning  seek- 
ing mules;  he  should  succeed  there,  for  it  is  the 
residence  of  several  nabobs  ;  but  it  is  disaffection  as 
much  as  want  of  specie  which  prevents  our  supply  ; 
we  should  have  dealt  with  a  higher  hand ;  cam- 
paigns cannot  wait  for  the  "inheritance"  of  meek- 
ness. At  Valencia  resides  a  Widow  C,  whose 
husband  was  murdered  by  Americans  a  fevV  years 
ago  ;  they  went  out,  several  hundred  miles  from 
Independence,  Mo.,  to  rob  him,  knowing  he  had 
with  him  a  large  sum  ;  they  murdered  him  in  cold 
blood ;  and  it  is  satisfactory  to  add,  that  they  were 
hanged  for  it,  at  Saint  Louis.  The  widow  is  fair 
and  firm  ;    for,   07i  dit,  she  refuses  to  wed  her  com- 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  yj 

panion,  preferring  to  remain  mistress  of  her  very  con- 
siderable wealth.  Her  house  is  said  to  be  furnished 
splendidly. 

October  2d. — Between  the  very  decided  descent 
of  the  valley,  and  our  progress  south,  the  days  are 
hot.  This  morning  we  passed  unusually  thick 
settlements,  and  the  large  village  of  Savinal,  with  its 
handsome  church,  and  unusually  picturesque  sur- 
roundings. Below  there  are  very  few  houses  ;  and 
after  noon,  we  passed  a  vast  baked  plain,  whitened 
by  salts,  with  a  burning  sun  overhead  ;  our  progress 
to-day  was  sixteen  miles,  and  our  camp  is  opposite 
La  Joya  de  Ciboletta,  the  "jewel  of  a  little  bull," 
or  "  little  buffalo  ;"  I  consider  it  an  outlandish  name  ; 
there  must  be  a  little  tale  to  it,  if  one  could  only 
get  hold  of  it;  but  perhaps,  after  all,  it  should  be 
spelled  Cebolletta ;  the  little  onion  ! 

This  camp  has  more  variegated  surroundings  than 
any  v/e  have  had  ;  the  scenery  is  pretty  ;  it  is  on  a 
bend  of  the  river,  which  here  has  groves  of  cotton- 
woods  ;  sand  hills  below  ,us  approach  close  to  the 
river,  on  both  sides,  and  shut  up  the  valley.  A  very 
friendly  mayor-domo  of  a  neighboring  ranche,  has 
sent  us  word  that  forty  of  the  Navajos   passed  the 


78  THE  CONQUEST   OF 

river  last  night ;  thus  warning  us  to  be  watchful  of 
our  animals. 

An  express  has  arrived  from  Santa  Fe  ;  Colonel 
Price  reports  his  arrival;  he  confirms  the  death  of 
Colonel  Allen  of  the  Mormon  Volunteers.  And  now, 
at  night,  I  have  been  selected  to  succeed  him  ; 
which,  of  course,  must  turn  my  face  to  Santa  Fe 
to-morrow.  That  is  turning  a  very  sharp  corner 
indeed ;  it  is  very  military, ;  (but  it  is  said  to  be  a 
manoeuvre  not  unknown  to  another  profession.) 

October  3^.— The  camp  is  not  moved  to-day  ;  a 
very  remarkable  thing  for  General  Kearny ;  but  the 
Mexican  wagons,  assisting  transportation  tempora- 
rily, had  this  time  to  be  waited  for.  It  happens 
very  conveniently,  as  I  have  my  company  and 
property  to  deliver  to  my  lieutenant ;  I  am  kindly 
allowed  to  keep  three  of  my  men,  and  shall  leave 
two  of  them  in  this  neighborhood  in  charge  of  my 
baggage,  until  my  return. 

And  now  comes  a  messenger  with  foaming  steed  ; 
he  tells  of  a  village  twelve  miles  below,  Pulvidera, 
being  attacked  by  Navajos,  and  a  troop  of  dragoons 
is  ordered  to  their  relief. 

Orders  were  sent  to-day  to  Colonel  Doniphan  to 


NEW    MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  79 

make  a  campaign  against  the  Navajos    before  pro- 
ceeding on  his  adventures  to  the  South. 

About  noon,  accompanied  by  my  bugler,  I  left 
camp  for  Santa  Fe.  Near  Savinal,  I  forded  the 
river,  being  desirous  of  seeing  the  eastern  side  of 
the  valley.  I  was  told  it  was  eight  miles  to  San 
Tome ;  two  miles  further  on  a  villager  informed  me 
it  was  twelve  miles  from  there  ;  riding  on  several 
miles  through  fine  meadows,  a  respectably  dressed 
native  told  me  it  was  just  fifteen  miles  from  there; 
several  miles  further  I  met  a  man  on  foot  who  as- 
sured me  it  was  twenty  miles ;  I  had  been  all  the 
time  approaching  the  phantom  village.  Several 
miles  further  on,  at  dark,  I  came  to  the  camp  of  a 
caravan  merchant,  who  offered  me  supper ;  he  in- 
formed me  it  was  really  six  miles  from  there  to 
Tom^  ;  and  so  I  found  it,  and  without  a  house  on 
the  road.  In  the  edge  of  the  village  however,  some 
trees  and  a  corn-field  round  a  house,  tempted  m.e  to 
seek  lodgings  there,  as  it  was  quite  dark.  The  fellow 
opened  the  door,  and  the  light,  at  sight  of  horsemen, 
was  instantly  blown  out ;  he  jerked  out,  like  a  pistol  _ 
shot,  "  no  hai  "  (there's  nothing  here).  I  could  not 
at  the  moment  make  the  allowance  of  his  fright  or 


8o  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

fear,  which  was  prudence  in  such  a  country,  for  the 
rudeness  of  his  inhospitahty :  and  so  returned  a  bad 
word  or  two  in  bad  Spanish,  as  I  turned  off  to  enter 
the  town.  There  my  wants  were  ministered  to  at 
the  padre's.  In  some  after  supper  chat,  I  discovered 
that  my  deficiency  in  Spanish  could  be  helped  out 
by  some  command  of  Latin  words  common  to  the 
priest  and  myself. 

October  d^th. — I  arrived  at  breakfast  time  at  the 
straggling  village  of  Valencia,  and  went  to  the  house 
of  Sefior  Otero ;  one  of  the  large  residences  here, 
which  are  unlike  any  European  or  American.  You 
ride  in  at  a  great  gate  into  a  very  spacious  court, 
surrounded  on  four  sides  by  apartments,  st;ore 
rooms,  offices,  provision  for  all  the  requirements  of 
the  family,  the  farm,  and  for  trade  ;  all  one  story,  of 
thick  plastered  and  whitewashed  walls.  It  was 
Sunday  morning:  I  encountered  first  an'  Indian 
slave  woman,  carrying  to  the  chamber  of  a  young 
man,  on  a  silver  salver,  chocolate  and  sponge  cake, 
which  they  takt?  at  rising ;  he  was  the  store-keeper, 
and  a  Texan  by  birth  ;  and  such  was  my  own  intro- 
duction to  a  substantial  breakfast,  which  came  later. 

I    had     some   political  chat    with    Sefior   Otero 


NEW    MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  8 1 

who,  like  the  few  other  men  of  large  wealth  was  mal- 
content ;  they  must  dread,  perhaps  rather  vaguely, 
the  loss  of  their  iniquitous  privileges ;  but  he  dis- 
creetly vented  his  spleen  on  Armijo  and  his  conduct 
which  he  regarded  as  disgraceful ;  and  professed 
that  he  would  have  favored  a  voluntary  annexation. 

I  wanted  to  get  mules  of  Otero;  his  prices  were 
exorbitant. 

I  rode  here  a  small  brown  horse,  with  a  Roman 
nose,  that  I  think  possessed  the  greatest  virtues  and 
vices  of  the  horse  and  the  ass,  with  a  trace  or  two  of 
the  goat.  Last  year,  on  the  last  quarter  of  a  two 
thousand  mile  ride,  on  poor  grass,  he  resented  a 
solitary  application  of  spurs,  by  whirling  around 
like  a  dancing  dervish,  making  several  goat  leaps, 
and  then  prancing  thirty  miles ; — put  a  severe  bit 
on  him,  and  he  would  run  away.  He  was  the  best 
buffalo  horse  I  ever  rode  ;  nervous  to  timidity,  he 
would  nevertheless  carry  you  along  side  of  the  shag- 
giest monster  of  ten  thousand  rushing  with  a  con- 
cussion to  shake  the  earth,  regardless  of  the  pol- 
ished tip  of  horn  and  the  malignant  black  eye  roll- 
ing toward  him  ;  only  shrinking  slightly  with  half 
averted  head,  in  expectancy  of  the  pistol  shot  ;  his 


82  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

motion  all  the  while  so  steady  you  could  adjust  the 
nicest  aim :  and  I  have  thus  brought  down,  on  him, 
a  noble  elk,  surrounded  by  a  forest  of  antlers,  and  to 
the  music  of  a  thousand  hoofs  ringing  like  castanets! 
Poor  Brown  ! — Of  all  our  enquiries,  discussions,  and 
doubts,  as  to  our  destined  California  '' bourne,"  per- 
haps there  has  been  but  one  agreed  conclusion,  viz  : 
that  no  horse  could  reach  it,  much  less  "  return." 
Well,  I  had  set  out  with  Bblinski,  trusting  in  his  vir- 
tues, or  else,  resigned  to  the  worst  that  might  befall 
his  vices. 

But  this  morning,  although  I  was  confident  that 
he  had  hitherto  tried  and  exercised  my  patience  to 
virtuous  perfection,  in  an  unhappy  moment,  for  both 
of  us,  perhaps,  he  outdid  himself  and  patience. 
Approaching  Otero's  house,  after  a  very  free  indul- 
gence in  eccentricities,  he  reached  a  crisis  by  trot- 
ting off,  backzvards,  until  we  soused  into  a  muddy 
and  profound  zequia.  I  swapped  him  to  Otero,  for 
a  mule.     Poor  Bolinski ! 

Continuing  my  journey  with  my  attendant,  I 
arrived  late,  and  spent  the  night  at  Sefior  Sando- 
val's, three  miles  ^ below  Albuquerque;  this  is 
another   of  the  imposing   feudal   residences  of  this 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  S^ 

primitive  society.  And  here  I  had  the  unhoped 
success  of  purchasing  of  Senor  Sandoval  twenty 
fine  mules,  to  be  delivered  at  Santa  Fe,  for  one 
thousand  dollars. 

On  the  5th,  we  lay  at  Algodones  ;  on  the  6th,  at 
the  picturesque  rancho  of  Senor  Vaca  y  Delgado, 
my  old  acquaintance,  where  I  camped  so  long,  and 
on  the  7th  reached  Santa  F^. 
The  battalion  had  not  arrived. 
I  find  the  quarter-master  department  without 
funds  ;  and  with  much  allowance  for  disaffection,  and 
primitive  ignorance,  it  is  strange  to  add,  with  little 
credit.  The  principal  capitalists  of  the  territory 
are  caravan  merchants  whose  trade  to  the  United 
States  has  been  almost  wholly  balanced  by  specie, 
for  which  they  have  accepted  bills  of  exchange. 

The  consequence  seems  almost  fatal  to  my  expe- 
dition. A  reasonable  anticipation  of  its  difficulties 
demands  a  very  careful  and  perfect  outfit ;  and 
especially  in  the  now  scarce  and  very  expensive 
article  of  draft  mules. 

It  is  interesting  to  read  now  from  the  Washing- 
ton correspondence  of  a  famous  New  York  daily — 
'  dated    July  3d,  that   *'  In    the  capture  of  the   city 


84  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

of  Santa  Fe  alone,  it  is  estimated,  that,  if  the 
movement  is  prompt  and  efficient,  at  least  fifteen 
millions  in  specie  and  gold  dust  will  be  captured." 

While  thus  waiting,  I  give  the  incidents  which 
befell  General  Kearny's  column  before  it  passed 
beyond  this  valley  and  communications;  the  news 
of  which  has  closely  followed  me. 

The  march  was  continued,  October  4th,  down 
the  river.  The  succor  of  Pulvidera  was  too  late  to 
save  a  large  amount  of  stock  which  the  Navajos 
drove  off;  and  the  General  then  published  perm  issioji 
to  the  people  to  retaliate,  and  make  war  upon  the 
Navajos. 

On  the  5th  the  column  reached  Socorro  ; — where 
the  guides  had  proposed  to  leave  the  river;  but  after 
much  discussion,  they  changed  their  mind, 
f  On  the  6th  they  marched  thirteen  miles.  This 
day  Kit  Carson  with  fifteen  men, — an  express  from 
California — was  met  ;  he  had  an  important  mail  for 

/  Washincrton. 

/ 

The  great  news  was   a  revolution  or  subjugation 

of  California    under    the    auspices   of   Commodore 

Stockton  and  Captain  Fremont. 

Six  of  Carson's   party  were  Delawares;  he  start- 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  85 

ed  with  fifty  riding  animals;  the  most  of  them  had 
been  ridden  down  and  abandoned  ;  others  swapped, 
two  for  one,  with  Apaches,  who  proved  friendly  ;  he 
came  by  the  Gila.  No  news  of  the  invasion  of  New 
Mexico  had  been  received  in  California. 

General  Kearny  determined  to  take  Carson  to 
guide  him  by  the  route  he  had  just  passed  over. 
Carson  resisted  very  firmly,  at  first ;  he  had 
pledged  himself  to  deliver  his  mail  in  Washington. 
The  General  finally  prevailed, — taking  upon  himself 
every  responsibility, — especially  the  prompt  and 
safe  delivery  of  the  dispatches. 

Did  the  General  stop  to  think  what  it  was  he 
demanded  ?  A  man  had  just  ridden  eight  hundred 
miles  over  a  desert, — a  wilderness, — where  he  could 
meet  no  human  being  save  a  few  savages  likely  to 
seek  his  destruction ;  (he  rode  ninety  miles  without 
halting,  over  a  Jornada  of  sand  !)  he  had  arrived  at 
the  verge  of  society,  and  near  the  residence  of  his 
■family!  He  is  required  to  turn  right  back,  and  for 
another  year  of  absence  !  That  was  no  common 
sacrifice  to  duty. 

General  Kearny  then  decided  to  take  only  two 
small  troops  of  dragoons,  as  an  escort,  and   also  two 


86  THE   CONQUEST  OF 

mountain  howitzers,  sending  back  Major  Sumner 
with  four  troops  to  remain  in  the  territory.  He  then 
marched  three  days,  with  wagons,  with  eight  picked 
mules  to  the  wagon  ;  but  a  day  and  a  half  without 
a  road  satisfied  him  ;  he  sent  for  pack  saddles,  and 
gave  up  the  wagons.  October  14th,  he  once  more 
resumed  his  march,  and,  next  day  being  about  two 
hundred  and  thirty  miles  below  Santa  F^,  he  left 
the  river,  turned  westward;  toward  the  copper  mines 
on  the  Gila,  and  wrote  to  Colonel  Cooke,  assigning  to 
him  the  task  of  opening  a  wagon  road  to  the  Pacific. 

Colonel  Doniphan,  in  obedience  to  orders,  leav- 
ing Colonel  Price  at  Santa  Fe,  marched  October 
26th,  against  the  Navajos.  He  directed  one  col- 
umn of  two  hundred  men  under  Major  Gilpin  up  the 
Chama  River.  It  went  as  far  as  the  mountains 
dividing  the  waters  of  the  Del  Norte  from  those 
of  the  Colorado,  thence  down  the  San  Juan,  and 
by  Red  Lake  to  the  valley  of  the  Little  Colorado. 

With  the  remaining  portion  of  the  regiment  he 
left  the  Rio  Grande  at  Albuquerque,  and  passed  up 
the  valley  of  the  Puerco,  or  Pecos  of  the  West, 
almost  to  its  source ;  in  three  parties  he  visited 
their  whole  country,  and  collected  the  most  of  the 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  8/ 

tribe  at  Bear  Spring  (Ojo  del  Oso)  and  made  a 
treaty.  The  marches  were  over  mountains,  and 
generally  in  snow.  The  regiment  was  concen- 
trated at  Socorro,  December  12th. 

Colonel  Doniphan's  Capture  of  Chihuahua 
—A  Brief  Episode. 
The  march  for  Chihuahua  was  begun  on  the  14th 
by  three  hundred  men,  followed  on  the  i6th  and 
l8th  by  the  rest  of  the  regiment,  and  Lieutenant- 
Colonel    Mitchell:  of  Price's   second  regiment   with 


ninety  men. 

This  march  in  its  beginning  encountered  the 
celebrated  Jornada  del  Muerto  of  ninety  miles,  des- 
titute of  water  and  fuel.  It  is  across  a  bend  of  the 
Rio  Grande,  and  is  cut  off  from  that  river  by  moun- 
tainous ground. 

On  Christmas  day,  at  a  spot  called  Bracito,  when 
the  regiment  after  its  usual  march,  had  picketed 
their  horses,  and  were  gathering  fuel,  the  advance 
guard  reported  the  rapid  approach  of  the  enemy  in 
large  force.  Line  was  formed  on  foot,  when  a  black 
flag  was  received  with  an  insolent  demand.  Colonel 
Doniphan  restrained  his  men  from  shooting  the 
bearer  down.     The  enemy's  line,  nearly  half  cavalry, 


88  -  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

and  including  a  howitzer,  opened  fire  at  four  hun- 
dred yards,  and  still  advanced,  and  had  fired  three 
rounds,  before  fire  was  returned  within  effective 
range.  Victory  seems  to  have  been  decided  by  a 
charge  of  Captain  Reid  with  twenty  cavalry  which 
he  had  managed  to  mount,  and  another  charge  by 
a  dismounted  company  which  captured  the  howitzer. 
The  enemy  fled,  with  loss  of  forty-three  killed  and 
one  hundred  and  fifty  wounded ;  our  loss  seven 
wounded,  who  all  recovered. 

The  enemy  were  about  twelve  hundred  strong; 
five  hundred  cavalry,  the  rest  infantry,  including 
several  hundred  El  Paso  militia ;  our  force  was  five 
hundred — Lieutenant-Colonel  Jackson  with  a  part  of 
the  regiment  arriving  on  the  ground  after  the  action. 
Colonel  Doniphan  gave  credit  "  for  the  most  essen- 
tial service  in  forming  the  line  and  during  the  en- 
gagement "  to  Captain  Thompson,  First  dragoons, 
"  acting  his  aid  and  adviser." 

December  2Jth. — He  entered  El  Paso,  and  learn- 
ing that  General  Wool  was  not  in  possession  of 
Chihuahua,  he  sent  to  Santa  Fe  for  one  of  the  bat- 
teries of  volunteer  artillery ;  and  waiting  its  arrival 
remained  at  El  Paso  until  February  8th. 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA?" 

He  then  resumed  his  march  for  Chihuahua ;  with 
nine  hundred  and  twenty-four  effective  men,  and 
three  hundred  and  fifteen  heavy  traders'  wagons 
accompanied  his  march. 

February  2W1. — At  the  Pass  of  the  Sacramento, 
fifteen  miles  from  Chihuahua,  the  enemy  was  dis- 
covered in  great  force  strongly  posted,  fortified  by 
entrenchments,  and  w^ell  suppHed  with  artillery. 
After  an  effective  cannonade  by  the  battery,  Colonel 
Doniphan  advanced  to  the  attack,  with  seven  com- 
panies dismounted  in  line,  and  three  mounted.  The 
decisive  action  of  the  battle  was  a  charge  by  the 
two  twelve-pound  howitzers  supported  by  three 
troops  of  cavalry,  and  followed  up  by  the  dismounted 
line  and  the  rest  of  the  artillery  ;  the  howitzers  *'  un- 
limbered  within  fifty  yards  of  the  redoubts  of  the 
enemy,"  who  were  attacked  by  sabre  in  their  en- 
trencJiments. 

The  enemy  were  finally  put  to  flight  with  a  loss 
of  about  six  hundred  men,  and  all  their  artillery,  ten 
pieces  ;  our  strength  was  "  nine  hundred  and  forty 
effective  men."     Our  loss  nine  killed  and  w^ounded. 

Next  day,  March  ist,  the  army  took  formal  pos- 
session A)f  the  capital  of  Chihuahua. 

Colonel  Doniphan  had  been  ordered  by  General 


90  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

Kearny  to  report  to  General  Wool.  At  Chihuahua 
he  provided  for  the  safety  of  American  citizens  and 
their  very  large  caravan  property,  and  then  deter- 
mined to  encounter  all  the  risks  of  another  great 
march  ;  and,  accordingly,  with  little  or  no  loss,  reached 
Monterey,  where  he  reported  to  General  Taylor.* 

The  Mormon  battalion  arrived  at  Santa  Fe 
October  I2th,  and  next  day.  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Cooke  assumed  command.  It  had  been  com- 
manded by  Lieutenant  A.  J.  Smith,f  first  dragoons, 
in  its  long  march  from  Fort  Leavenworth. 

*  I  suspect  that  in  this  great  venture  they  encountered,  as  a 
milder  incident  of  war,  most  danger  from  the  fire  of  the  feminine 
eyes  of  the  simple  inhabitants  ;  (but  were  they  '*  ready "  in  their 
boasted  "  rags  and  roughness  "  for  the  courts  of  Venus?) 

The  advance  on  General  Taylor's  line  of  invasion  had  been  wisely 
abandoned  for  a  far  shorter  one  to  the  heart  and  capital  of  Mexico ; 
and  the  regiment  was  ordered  home  for  discharge.  It  marched  to 
Matamoras,  carrying  with  them,  nine  hundred  miles  from  Chihuahua, 
their  ten  captured  cannon  ;  there  it  embarked  for  New  Orleans,  St. 
Louis  and  Liberty,  Missouri ;  making  a  grand  circuit  which  counted 
miles  by  the  thousand,  and  throwing  a  coloring  of  romantic  ad- 
venture over  the  realities  of  its  services  ;  its  share  in  the  conquest 
of  far-distant  New  Mexico — its  pursuit  of  the  Navajos  beyond  the 
snow-clad  mountains  of  San  Juan,  and  the  pacification  of  that  pow- 
erful tribe — its  battles,  and  the  great  victory  of  Sacramento. 

It  received  an  ovation  in  Saint  Louis,  and  a  rejoicing  welcome 
amid  its  homes  in  extreme  western  Missouri. — Not  a  fatted  calf,  but 
a  half  tamed  buffalo  cow,  belonging  to  the  author,  was  a  contribu- 
tion to  a  barbecue  given  for  their  entertainment. 

f  As  Smith  is  not  a  very  distinctive  name,  it  may  be  interesting 
to  mention  that  this  one,  now  of  Saint  Louis,  became  a  very  distin- 
guished Major  General. 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  9I 

Every  thing  conspired  to  discourage  the  extraor- 
dinary undertaking  of  marching  this  battahon  eleven 
hundred  miles,  for  the  much  greater  part  through  an 
unknown  wilderness  without  road  or  trail,  and  with 
a  wagon  train. 

It  was  enlisted  too  much  by  families ;  some  were 
too  old, — some  feeble,  and  some  too  young;  it  was 
embarrassed  by  many  women  ;  it  was  undisciplined  ; 
it  was  much  worn  by  travelling  on  foot,  and  march- 
ing from  Nauvoo,  Illinois  ;  their  clothing  was  very 
scant ; — there  was  no  money  to  pay  them, — or 
clothing  to  issue;  their  mules  were  utterly  broken 
down  ;  the  Quartermaster  department  was  without 
funds,  and  its  credit  bad  ;  and  mules  were  scarce. 
Those  procured  were  very  inferior,  and  were  dete- 
riorating every  hour  for  lack  of  forage  or  grazing. 
So  every  preparation  must  be  pushed, — hurried. 
A  small  party  with  families,  had  been  sent  from 
Arkansas  crossing  up  the  river,  to  winter  at  a  small 
settlement  close  to  the  mountains,  called  Pueblo. 
The  battalion  was  now  inspected,  and  eighty-six  men 
found  inefficient,  were  ordered,  under  two  officers, 
with  nearly  all  the  women,  to  go  to  the  same  point ; 
five  wives  of  officers   were   reluctantly  allowed    to 


92  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

accompany  the  march,  but  furnished  their  own 
transportation. 

By  special  arrangement  and  consent,  the  bat- 
talion was  paid  in  checks, — not  very  available  at 
Santa  Fe. 

With  every  effort  the  Quartermaster  could  only 
undertake  to  furnish  rations  for  sixty  days ;  and  in 
fact  full  rations  of  only  flou.r,  sugar,  coffee  and  salt ; 
salt  pork  only  for  thirty  days,  and  soap  for  twenty. 
To  venture  without  pack  saddles  would  be  grossly 
imprudent,  and  so  that  burden  was  added. 

October  19th  the  battalion  was  pushed  out,  by 
companies,  six  miles  to  Agua  Frio ;  where  some 
grazing  might  be  had. 

After  dispatching  a  multitude  of  last  duties,  I 
left  town  and  arrived  in  camp  at  sunset.  Here  I 
found  all  huddled  in  the  sandy  creek  bottom  ;  no 
grass  ;  many  mules  without  ropes  or  picket  pins : 
they,  and  the  beeves  and  oxen  were  to  be  herded 
under  rather  difficult  circumstances.  Some  fodder 
had  been  procured. 

The  battalion  have  never  been  drilled,  and, 
though  obedient,  have  little  discipline ;  they  exhibit 
great  heedlessness  and  ignorance,  and  some  obstinacy. 


NEW    MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  93 

I  have  brought  road  tools  and  have  determined  to 
take  through  my  v/agons  ;  but  the  experiment  is 
not  a  fair  one,  as  the  mules  are  nearly  broken  down 
at  the  outset.  The  only  good  ones,  about  twenty 
which  I  bought  near  Albuquerque,  were  taken  for 
the  express  for  Fremont's  mail, — the  General's  order 
requiring  "  the  twenty-one  best  in  Santa  F^." 

Next  day  a  march  of  ten  miles  was  made  to  the 
last  water  on  the  road  to  the  river;  an  order  of 
regulations  for  the  march  was  issued  ;  and  the  ra- 
tion was  lowered  to  twelve  ounces  of  flour,  and  three- 
fourths  allowance  of  sugar  and  coffee  ;  but  that  of 
beef  increased   one-fifth, — to  a    pound  and    a  half. 

Extracts  from  Colonel  Cooke's  official  journal 
will  be  given ;  some  as  specimens  of  daily  doings  ; 
some  of  incidents  or  other  matters  of  unusual  inter- 
est,— a  few  of  apparently  insuperable  obstacles  and 
dangers,  necessarily  encountered,  and  overcome, — 
or  endured. 

^^ October  21st. — I  ordered  a  very  early  reveille  and 
march,  to  accomplish  the  twenty-four  miles.  I  got 
the  wagons  ready  before  eight  o'clock  ;  having  or- 
dered, as  a  spur,  that  each  company  should  send  off 
its  baggage  as  soon  as  ready ;  and  that  they  should 


94  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

march  in  that  order.  At  the  last  moment  I  learned 
that  nineteen  beeves  and  fourteen  mules  were 
missing.  I  had  ordered  that  the  guard — increased 
to  twenty-seven  privates — should  guard  the  animals 
by  night ;  a  corporal  and  four  privates,  butchers, 
should  drive  the  oxen  ;  and  a  corporal, — on  daily 
dut}'', — and  six  of  the  guard,  drive  and  take  care  of 
the  extra  mules  (except  during  the!* night).  I  had 
broken  up  yesterday,  an  old  wagon  I  found  here,  for 
the  axles,  and  the  spokes,  ordered  to  be  made  into 
.picket  pins.  I  was,  of  course,  without  mounted  men 
to  send  after  the  missing  cattle.  I  sent  the  officer 
of  the  day,  and  every  member  of  the  old  guard  in 
pursuit,  in  four  parties,  with  orders  to  re-assemble 
here,  and  none  to  come  on  until  all  the  animals 
were  recovered  ;  but  this  consumed  an  hour. 

They  were  all  recovered.  I  passed  the  whole 
column  and  reached  the  Gallisteo  at  eleven ,  o'clock, 
and  found  it  was  possible  to  water  there.  I  stopped 
until  all  had  passed  me,  directing  them  to  move 
on  down,  so  that  all  the  animals  should  be  taken 
from  the  wagons,  and  should  drink  at  the  same 
time.  I  was  on  the  ground  an  hour  and  three-quar- 
ters before   the  last  wagon  passed  me.      Each  com- 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  95 

pany  marches  in  the  rear  of  its  baggage.  On  this 
terrible  sandy  road,  down  the  stream,  several  oxen 
fell,  and  had  to  be  rolled  out  of  the  road,  they 
making  no  motion  ;  the  feet  of  others  were  bleeding. 
The  last  of  the  command  have  got  into  camp  at 
nine  P.  M., — several  wagons  not  getting  nearer  than 
a  mile.  I  had  a  little  wood  brought  from  the  last 
hill  top ;  there  is  none  here.  I  had  sent  forward  my 
interpreter,  who  only  succeeded  in  buying  twenty- 
four  bushels  of  ears  of  corn.  Lieutenant  Smith,  as- 
sistant-commissary of  subsistence,  and  Lieutenant 
Stoneman,  acting  assistant  quartermaster,  arrived 
from  Santa  Fe  since  dark." 

October  2id. — Next  day  eleven  miles  were  accom 
plished,  to  San  Bernalli.  Many  mules  failed, 
and  efforts  to  hire  wagons  failed,  owing  to  the  ill 
disposition  of  the  citizens  of  property ;  and  so  again 
to-day.  There  was  rain  and  wind  last  night,  and 
I  slept  under  a  fallen  tent.  Many  are  sick.  I  de- 
termined to  purchase  mules,  if  possible.  Passed  the 
camp  of  a  major  and  three  companies  of  Price's 
regiment,  who  left  Santa  Fe,  four  days  before  the 
battalion  ;  the  major  said,  "■  after  a  day's  march  it 
took  him  two  or  three  to  collect  the  animals." 


g6  THE   CONQUEST  OF 

The  assistant-quartermaster  succeeded  in  ex- 
changing thirty  mules,  worthless  to  us,  for  fifteen 
good  ones,  and  also  in  purchasing  ten.  At  Albu- 
querque I  bought  twelve  fanegas  of  ears  of  corn, 
and  crossed  the  river;  making  my  way  through 
three  miles  of  very  bad  road.  I  encamped  with 
comparatively  good  grass,  and  near  the  camp  of  Cap- 
tain Burgwin  (from  General  Kearny's  column)  where 
he  had  arrived  this  afternoon. 

Here  I  purchased  of  officers  eight  mules  with 
treasury  drafts,  and  exchanged  as  many  for  better 
public  animals,  and  also  obtained  twenty  oxen. 
The  captain  also  kindly  exchanged  two  Jfonf on  wag- 
ons for  very  poor  and  heavy  ones.  This  may  be 
very  important. 

It  rained  again  last  night.  This  has  been  a  day 
of  hard  and  unremitting  labor  to  me. 

Next  morning  Captain  Burgwin  received  a  letter 
from  the  American  traders  below,  stating  General 
Armijo  was  marching  up  to  seize  their  property,  and 
asking  protection.  A  pack  of  Indian  goods,  left  fot 
me  by  General  Kearny  was  received  from  Captain 
Burgwin. 

Mr.  Stoneman  was  much  disgusted  to-day  by  the 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  97 

contemptuous  refusal  of  a  nabob  named  Chavis,  to 
sell  or  exchange  mules. 

I  have  ordered  pork  to  be  issued  every  fourth 
day.  I  also  issued  an  order  of  further  regulations. 
I  assembled  the  captains  this  morning  at  reveille,  and 
earnestly  exhorted  them  to  lend  me  more  efficient 
assistance  in  requiring  the  mules  to  be  properly 
grazed  and  fed ;  or  else  the  expedition  must  soon 
fall  through.  They  made  excellent  promises.  I 
reduced  to  the  ranks  a  first  sergeant  for  failing  to 
form  the  company  at  reveille,  and  giving  the  excuse 
that  it  was  not  light  enough  to  call  his  roll.  The 
mules  are  now  turned  loose  and  herded,  while  in 
camp. 

'^ October  26th, — Marched  at  eight  o'clock.  Passed 
several  villages.  I  sent  across  the  river  to 
Otero's  store  at  Valencia,  for  some  pack  blankets, 
for  which  the  assistant  quartermaster  had  an  order, 
and  for  purchase  of  mules.  Otero,  like  Chavis — 
both  malcontents — asked  unreasonable  prices.  Fie 
had  lost,  yesterday  evening,  five  or  six  thousand 
sheep;  two  shepherds  killed  by  the  Indians.  He 
had  been  riding  all  night  hiring  men  to  pursue  them. 
I  stopped  some  time  in  a  settlement  of  the  Luna 
5 


98  THE  CONQUEST   OF 

family.  All  the  effective  males  had  gone  after  the 
Navajos,  who  had  also  stolen  six  thousand  six  hun- 
dred sheep  of  them  yesterday ;  and  as  they  say, 
killed  two  of  their  shepherds.  I  wrote  for  Seflora 
Luna  a  note  to  Captain  Burgwin.  She  thought  herself 
and  the  other  women  dangerously  exposed.  But  what 
can  Burgwin  do  with  broken  down  mules,  all  the  best 
having  been  selected  by  General  Kearny  ?  I  am  still 
sick  of  a  cold  ;  they  are  very  prevalent.  We  are  ex- 
posed to  black  frost  nightly,  without  fuel.  The  mules 
are  getting  sore  shoulders.  I  called  up  the  captains 
and  gave  them  a  lecture  on  the  subject,  as  to 
fitting  and  cleaning  collars,  shortening  harness, 
etc.  and  relieving  mules,  about  to  become  galled  ; 
for  I  have  assigned  all  the  mules,  giving  two  extra 
ones  for  every  team  ;  the  march  thirteen  miles. 
Saw  mother  and  daughter  to-day, — the  latter  thir- 
teen and  married, — as  usual  here,  at  that  age  ;  both 
fine  looking,  with  the  large  liquid  eyes  of  the  Seflora." 
Two  days  of  similar  progress,  to  camp  near 
Sabinal.  Rainy  and  very  cold  weather,  the  moun- 
tains opposite  covered  with  snow ;  "  scarcely  a 
large  weed  within  a  mile  or  two  of  camp."  The 
roads  very  heavy  from  sand. 


NEW   MEXICO  AND   CALIFORNIA.  99 

October  2gth, — Marched  ten  miles  to  the  bot- 
tom below  La  Joya, — where  I  found  my  two 
dragoons,  mules  and  property  all  safe.  Sent  Lieu- 
tenant Smith  to  go  in  advance  and  purchase  three 
hundred  sheep  which,  with  the  beeves,  will  make 
sixty  days*  rations  from  Santa  Fe.  I  have  extreme 
difficulty  in  having  the  mules  properly  cared  for  ; 
there  is  great  vis  incrtice  in  such  a  command. 

Next  day,  a  sand  hill  reaching  the  river  bank 
was  encountered  ;  two  hours,  with  teams  doubled, 
and  twenty  men  to  a  wagon,  were  required  to  reach 
its  top, — only  three  or  four  hundred  paces.  Reach- 
ing Pulvidera,  to  get  grass  it  was  necessary  to  pass 
a  very  large  canal ;  the  men  worked  well  with 
spades  and  large  hoes,  furnished  by  some  Mexicans, 
who  worked  with  them  unasked  ;  but  it  was  a  diffi- 
cult job  ;  and  a  wagon  hound  was  broken. 

November  2d. — The  battalion  has  marched 
twenty  seven  miles  in  the  last  two  days ;  the  valley 
continues  much  narrowed, — with  variegated  scenery 
and  woods.  Many  oxen  broke  down  ;  and  wagons 
were  sent  back  empty  with  teams  little  better. 

General  Armijo  it  was  learned  had  been  sent 
South    under    guard,    and    wrote    to  his    wife    to 


100  THE  CONQUEST  OF 

lend  money  freely  to  our  army;  and  that  the  enemy 
were  gathering  volunteers  at  *  El  Paso.  Captain 
Burgwin,  going  to  the  protection  of  the  caravans, 
was   encamped   two   miles  from    the  battalion. 

The  three  hundred  sheep  were  brought  into 
camp,  but  proved  to  be  very  poor, — mostly  lambs  ; 
also  the  required  beeves,  very  poor.  The  guides 
engaged  by  General  Kearny  arrived,  with  very  dis- 
couraging accounts,  and  said  it  was  at  least  ninety 
days'  travel  to  the  Pacific.  They  were  sent  forward 
to  decide  where  to  leave  the  Rio  Grande,  and  make 
some  explorations  beyond,  returning  to  meet  the 
battalion  there. 

"All  the  vexations  and  troubles  of  any  other 
three  days  of  my  life  have  not  equalled  those  of  the 
last  twenty-four  hours.  .  .  .  My  attention  is  con- 
stantly on  the  stretch  for  the  smallest  things.  I  have 
to  order,  and  then  see  that  it  is  done." 

This  day  the  road-we  have  followed,  passed  to  the 
east  of  the  river ;  it  being  the  head  of  the  Jernada  del 
Muerto ;  the  river  sweeping  off  to  the  south-west  in  a 
great  bend.  Consequently  the  battalion  continued 
on  General  Kearny's  trail. 

On   Captain  Burgwin's  march,  near  Luna  village, 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA. '*^\M|i;<g^-^   iv^ 

some  inhabitants  met  him  at  speed,  reportin^tMfei^^>^ 
the  Navajos  had  just  robbed  them,  and  taken  off  a 
woman  (as  I  apprehended,  when  I  wrote  to  him). 
Captain  Greer's  company,  which  was  much  in  ad- 
vance, was  sent  instantly  to  the  rescue,  half  his  men 
a-foot.  He  overtook  and  re-captured  the  cattle  and 
sheep,  and  following  on  about  sixteen  miles,  the 
mules  of  his  company  exhausted  and  left,  and  his 
men  following  with  long  intervals  on  foot,  the  Cap- 
tain, Lieutenant  Wilson,  Corporal  Price  and  one 
private  (on  horses  got  of  the  Mexicans),  overtook 
four  Navajos;  then  uprose  from  a  ravine  fifty  ^ 
others,  who  surrounded  the  captain  and  party. 
These  last  killed  two  Indians  outright,  and  then 
retreated  in  good  order  under  a  shower  of  arrows, 
and  were  pursued,  in  their  turn,  a  quarter  of  a  mile, 
until  they  fell  upon  a  few  of  their  footmen,  and 
thus  came  off  unwounded. 

My  camp  is  in  an  open  grove  of  the  river  bot- 
tom. We  rejoice  for  once  in  plenty  of  fuel  and  good 
fires.  In  every  direction  are  lofty  mountains,  blue 
from  distance  or  haze,  and  capped  with  snow 
fields. 

In  this  bottom  I  saw  a  flock  of  many  thousand 


102  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

sheep,  probably  the  last.  I  sent  Lieutenant  Smith 
with  $ioo  to  purchase  eighty,  to  make  up  for  the 
lambs.  I  ordered  him  to  give  the  same  price  as 
yesterday,  and  to  take  them.  He  got  them.  I 
shall  use  about  ten  of  the  oxen  for  beef.  I  have 
hired  three  Mexicans  and  put  the  three  hundred  and 
eighty  sheep  under  their  exclusive  charge.  I  found 
that  we  could  improve  on  the  track  made  by  the 
dragoons. 

November  3</. — The  camp  was  visited  this  morn- 
ing by  Captain  Grier  and  one  of  our  merchants. 
Reports  of  the  war  had  been  received  by  way  of 
Chihuahua;  "the  Americans  were  in  Monterey,  but 
invested  by  superior  force  of  Mexicans,"  etc. 

There  have  been  strong  suspicions  down  here, 
of  a  conspiracy  to  rise  and  throw  off  the  American 
rule  in  this  territory ;  connected  perhaps  at  the 
moment,  with  the  advance  of  seven  hundred  men 
who  certainly  did  march  from  El  Paso  north  ;  and 
there  is  no  doubt  they  have  emissaries  above.  I 
learn  the  last  express  to  Captain  Burgvvin  brought 
news  of  a  talk  in  Santa  Fe  of  a  rising  of  the  people. 
As  for  myself  I  believe  that  the  priests  and  some  of 
the  millionaires  would  like  to  put  forward  others  to 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  103 

attempt  to  regain  their  despotic  sway  and  grinding 
oppression  of  the  people ;  but  take  them  all  to- 
gether I  think  the  cowardly  barbarians, — too  fortu- 
nate in  having  a  decent  government  forced  upon 
them, — are  selfish  enough  to  refrain  from  any  risk  in 
the  world. 

I  marched  to-day  fourteen  miles ;  some  bad 
bluffs  of  heavy  sand  were  passed.  .The  camp  is  on 
a  high  plain,  covered  with  grama  grass,  apparently 
quite  dead,  but  said  to  be  nearly  as  good  as  grain. 
For  the  last  forty  miles  the  flat  river  bottom  is  per- 
haps two  miles  in  width,  some  of  it  richer  than 
above.  There  is  however,  a  white  efflorescence, 
rather  more  frequent  here  than  there,  which  is  said 
to  contain  carbonate  of  potash,  and  to  render  the 
soil  unfit  for  agriculture.  This  district,  entirely 
unoccupied,  has  the  great  advantage  over  that 
above,  so  thickly  inhabited,  of  forests  covering  per- 
haps one-fourth  of  the  bottoms,  and  the  mountains 
also  covered  with  cedar  very  near.  Fear  of  the 
Indians  has  kept  it  a  desert. 

We  have  severe  frosts  at  night,  and  hot  days. 
I  have  reduced  the  ration  to  nine  ounces  of  flour, 
and  ten  of  pork. 


104  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

I  met  one  of  the  guides,  whom  Leroux,  their 
chief,  sent  back,  ostensibly  to  settle  upon  smoke  sig- 
nals, but  really,  I  suspect  because  he  was  of  no  use. 
The  fellow  weighs  two  hundred  pounds,  and  has 
been  drinking  for  a  week  or  two;  I  ordered  his 
discharge. 

It  took  a  cow  and  twelve  of  the  lambs  to  make 
out  the  ration  to-night.  Dr.  Foster,  the  inter- 
preter, calls  a  large  bush,  found  here,  the  mezquit ; 
there  is  a  growth  common  on  the  Missouri  and 
Platte  prairies,  much  smaller  and  more  delicate, 
which  I  am  sure  is  the  same,  or  nearly  allied.  I 
could  never  hear  of  a  name  for  it  there,  although  I 
think  old  Captain  Boone  used  to  call  it  bastard 
locust. 

The  cactus  here  is  ten  feet  high. 

November  gth. — In  six  days,  resting  one,  the  bat- 
talion could  only  make  forty  miles,  in  about  the 
same  number  of  hours'  work,  camping  this  day  at 
the  point  where  General  Kearny  struck  out  from 
the  river  toward  the  copper  mines. 

This  slow  progress  was  over  very  bad  ground, 
without  a  road  ; — deep  sand,  steep  hills  and  rocks, 
ten   miles  together,  without  river-bottom  land  ;  the 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  I05 

men,  nearly  all  of  them,  laboring  in  aid  of  the  weak 
teams   to  move  the  wagons. 

The  country  had  changed  its  character  and  was 
now  rough,  surrounded  by  mountains  and  charac- 
terized by  grama  grass,  cedars,  mezquite  and  other 
strange  growths.  Game  made  its  appearance : 
bears,  deer,  and  beavers;  some  of  these  last  were 
trapped  by  Charboneaux,  an  active  half-breed 
guide.  The  weather  grew  warmer,  but  with  one 
rain  and  wind  storm. 

Mr.  Leroux  returned  ;  he  had  left  the  river 
where  it  turned  eastward  opposite  San  Diego,  and 
had  found  a  water  hole  fifteen  miles  on  our  course, 
and  seen  a  prairie  stream  about  thirty  miles 
beyond. 

"It  has  now  become  evident  that  we  cannot  go 
on  so,  with  any  prospect  of  a  successful  or  safe  termi- 
nation to  the  expedition.  The  guides  say  that  most 
of  the  mules  could  not  be  driven  loose  to  California. 
I  have  carefully  examined  them  and  found  that 
whole  teams  seem  ready  to  break  down.  The  three 
remaining  ox  teams  were  to  go  back  about  this  time, 
at  the  latest ;  twenty-two  men  are  on  the  sick  report ; 
quite  a  number  have  been  transported  in  the  wagons, 
5* 


ro6  THE  CONQUEST   OF 

and  the  knapsacks  and  arms  of  others ;  there  are 
still  in  the  battalion  men  old,  weakly,  and  trifling ; 
besides  all  this,  the  rations  are  insufficient. 

I  have  determined  and  ordered  that  fifty-five  of 
the  sick  and  least  efficient  men  shall  return  to  Santa 
F^ ;  that  they  shall  take  rations  for  twenty-six  days, 
— but  of  flour  only  ten  ounces  to  the  ration,  and  of 
pork,  eight.  I  shall  thus  be  relieved  of  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  pounds  weight  of  rations,  and  by 
means  of  what  they  leave  of  the  rations  provided  for 
them,  particularly  the  live  stock,  make  an  important 
increase  of  rations  for  the  remainder.  But  I  have 
also  determined  to  send  back,  if  possible,  only  one 
team  of  oxen,  and  use  for  my  mule  wagons  the  ten 
other  yokes  (the  other  wagons  can  be  sent  for; — 
Captain  Burgwin  is  only  fifty-eight  miles  above). 
There  are  some  thirty  loose  mules  which  some  think 
will  do  nearly  as  well  if  packed  only  sixty  or  eighty 
pounds.  I  have  ordered  the  upright  tent  poles  to 
be  left,  muskets  to  be  used  as  substitutes ;  and 
tents  to  be  reduced  to  one  for  nine  men  (which  they 
will  hold,  if  opened  and  lowered  to  the  height  of  a 
musket).  This  all  carried  out,  I  trust  with  perse- 
verance and  energy  to  accomplish  the  undertaking ; 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  107 

though  in  a  few  days  I  commence  a  route  of  over 
three  hundred  miles — to  the  San  Pedro  River — of 
which  the  guides  know  httle  or  nothing  ;  Leroux 
thinking  himself  very  fortunate  in  finding  water  at 
an  interval  of  thirty  miles  at  the  outset.  The 
whole  route  is  now  said  to  be  three  hundred  miles 
longer  than  was  believed  when  at  Santa  Fe  ;  and 
ten  miles,  making  the  road  as  we  go,  is  a  hard 
day's  work — equal  to  twenty  miles  or  more  of  a 
good  road." 

In  that  camp  an  express  was  received  from  Cap- 
tain Burgwin,  reporting  information  that  a  large 
party  of  the  enemy  were  coming  from  the  South 
by  the  copper-mine  route. 

The  return  party,  under  a  subaltern,  was  got  off 
on  the  loth ;  but  it  consumed  the  day.  A  large 
number  of  tents,  poles,  camp  kettles,  and  mess  pans 
were  put  in  a  wagon  to  be  left  under  charge  of  a 
beaver  trapping  party  found  there;  the  saddles 
and  packs  were  prepared,  and  some  tried  on,  under 
the  instruction  of  the  guides  and  other  Mexicans. 
Leroux,  with  several  assistant  guides,  was  ordered 
to  depart  early  next  day  to  make  further  explora- 
tion, and  to  send  back  one  or  two  guides  from  anew 


I08  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

point,  to  meet  the  battalion    at   the  last  water  then 
known,  while  he  shall  explore  still  further  on. 

About  twenty-nine  miles  were  made  in  the  next 
two  days,  with  improvement  of  ground,  chiefly  in 
river  bottom,  which  had  increased  to  a  mile  in  width, 
with  a  wide  strip  of  timber ;  the  country  to  the  west 
gradually  flattening ;  mountains  rising  abruptly 
from  the  eastern  bank ;  but  an  apparently  complete 
gap  was  observed,  which  was  thought  to  be  where 
the  ''Jornada"  road  approaches  within  four  or  five 
miles  of  the  river;  if  so,  it  is  where  a  future  road 
should  cross  and  fall  into  the  one  now  being 
made. 

There  was  an  evident  improvement  of  means; 
thirty-six  mules  were  lightly  packed,  besides  oxen ; 
some  of  which  "  performed  antics  that  were  irresistibly 
ludicrous,  (owing  to  the  crupper  perhaps,)  such  as 
jumping  high  from  the  ground,  many  times  in  quick- 
step time,  turning  round  the  while, — a  perfect  jig." 

"On  the  nth,  while  Charboneaux  was  makingr  a 
rather  remote  exploration  for  water,  I  rode  a  mile 
through  willows,  weeds  and  reeds  above  my  head, 
and  found  some  in  a  densely  timbered  and  brushy 
bottom,  and  established   the  camp  on  the  bluff,  with 


NEW   MEXICO  AND   CALIFORNIA.  109 

fine  grass  near.  The  tents  are  pitched  with  mus- 
kets somewhat  lengthened  by  a  peg  that  enters  the 
muzzle  ;  the  backs  are  opened  and  a  gore  inserted,, 
so  that  they  are  stretched  out  into  nearly  a  circle, 
and  are  very  capacious. 

The  1 2th  was  a  fortunate  day ;  the  pioneers 
were  several  times  at  bad  spots  just  ready  for  the 
w^agons  as  they  arrived ;  and  I  discovered  just  in 
time  to  set  the  wagons  right,  that  we  had  got  into  a 
culde  sac.  I  had  calculated  that  the  wagons  would 
be  lightened  above  twenty  per  cent,  while  the 
rations  were  increased  eight  days.  This  is  con- 
firmed by  the  facility  of  motion. 

Novemher  ^^tJi, — A  mile  or  two  from  camp  a  note 
from  Leroux  was  found  on  a  pole,  but  also  two 
return  guides  were  met,  who  directed  the  march 
short  to  the  right ;  and  a  march  of  fifteen  miles  was 
made  in  a  south-west  course,  always  ascending  over 
gravelly  prairie,  uneven  but  not  very  difficult ;  and 
then,  in  a  rocky  chasm  a  hundred  feet  deep,  a  nat- 
ural well  or  reservoir  of  pure  water  was  found. 
There  was  no  fuel,  save  a  few  bushes  and  Spanish 
bayonet,  but  the  country  was  well  covered  with 
grama  and  buffalo  grass. 


no  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

And  here,  before  describing  this  unique  venture  - 
of  the  exploration  by  a  battalion  with  a  wagon  train, 
of  the  unknown  wilderness  which  must  be  passed  to 
reach  California,  it  will  serve  the  unities  of  place, 
and  nearly  of  time,  to  pause, and  to  record  the  com- 
pletion of  the  conquest  of  New  Mexico.  For  there 
soon  occurred  an  uprising  against  our  bloodless,  but 
perhaps  stern  change  of  rule,  which  had  found  tem- 
porary success,  chiefly,  it  is  believed,  through  an 
audacious  surprise.  And  it  proved  that  the  best 
traits  of  our  nature  at  a  low  stage,  combine  with 
the  forces  of  ignorance  and  confirmed  customs  and 
habits,  to  resent  and  resist  an  abrupt  and  forcible 
bestowal  of  the  greatest  boons — the  comforts  of 
civiHzation — Liberty  itself ! 


11. 


THE    INSURRECTION     IN     NEW    MEXICO 
AND  THE  FINAL  CONQUEST. 

ABOUT  the  middle  of  December,  Colonel  Price, 
Second  Missouri  Mounted  Volunteers,  left  in 
command  by  Colonel  Doniphan,  received  informa- 
tion that  efforts  to  excite  a  general  revolt  were 
being  made.  A  former  officer  of  the  Mexican  army 
was  arrested,  and  a  list  of  all  the  disbanded  Mexican 
soldiers  was  found  on  his  person.  Then  many 
others,  supposed  to  be  implicated,  were  arrested  ; 
but  the  two  leaders,  Ortiz  and  Archuleta,  made 
their  escape  to  the  South.  A  full  investigation 
revealed  that  many  of  the  most  influential  persons 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  territory  were  engaged 
in  the  conspiracy.  But  these  prompt  measures 
seemed  to  be  effectual  in  preventing  an  insurrection. 
Charles  Bent,  the  Governor,  appointed  by  Gen- 
eral Kearny,  was  an  able  man  ;  amiable,  and  married 
to  a  native  of  the  country,  he  was  considered   quite 


112  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

popular ;  January  14th  he  left  Santa  Fe  to  visit  his 
family  at  San  Fernando  de  Taos, — near  the  Pueblo 
de  Taos,  about  seventy  miles  north  of  Santa  F^,  and 
near  the  top  of  the  great  southern  promontory  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains.  There,  January  19th,  the 
governor,  the  sheriff,  the  circuit  attorney,  the  pre- 
fect and  two  others,  were  "  murdered  in  the  most 
inhuman  manner  that  savages  could  devise."  The 
same  day  seven  Americans  were  also  murdered  at 
Arroyo  Hondo,  and  two  others  on  the  Rio  Colorado. 
The  prefect,  Vigil,  was  a  New  Mexican  ;  and  the 
intention  was  apparent  to  murder  every  one  who  had 
accepted  office  under  American  rule. 

Colonel  Price  received  this  startling  news  at 
Santa  F^  the  next  day,  and  at  the  same  time  inter- 
cepted letters  calling  upon  the  people  of  the  lower 
river  for  aid ;  he  heard  also  of  the  approach,  from 
the  north,  of  a  constantly  sweUing  force  of  insur- 
gents. 

The  Colonel  immediately  dispatched  orders  to 
Albuquerque,  to  Major  Edmonson,  to  march  up  and 
occupy  Santa  Fh  ;  and  to  Captain  Burgwin  of  the 
first  dragoons,  to  march  north,  with  one  of  his  troops 
to  join  him   in   the   field.     The   Colonel   marched, 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  113 

January  23d,  at  the  head  of  only  three  hundred  and 
fifty  men,  to  meet  the  rebels  ;  this  force  was  all  in- 
fantry or  dismounted  cavalry,  except  a  troop  which 
volunteered  in  Santa  Fe  under  Felix  St.  Vrain,  and 
also  four  twelve  pound  mountain  howitzers.  It  in- 
cluded Captain  Angney's  little  battalion,  which  so 
gallantly  contended  with  the  cavalry  for  the  lead  in 
the  invasion  of  the  Territory. 

Next  day  Captain  St.  Vrain,  in  advance,  encoun- 
tered the  enemy  on  heights  commanding  the  road, 
near  the  town  of  Cafiada,  and  also  occupying  some 
strong  adobe  houses  at  the  base  of  the  hills.  Price 
formed  line,  and  advanced  the  howitzers,  which 
opened  fire.  A  detachment  of  the  enemy  made  a 
movement  to  cut  off  our  baggage  train,  then  more 
than  a  mile  to  the  rear ;  the  manoeuvre  being  ob- 
served, Captain  St.  Vrain  was  sent  to  counteract  it, 
and  succeeded  in  bringing  up  the  train. 

After  a  sharp  cannonade,  Price  ordered  Ang- 
ney's battalion  to  assault  the  nearest  houses,  from 
which  issued  a  galling  fire  on  his  rig-ht  flank;  the 
houses  were  handsomely  carried  ;  a  general  charge 
was  then  made  ;  the  artillery  and  three  companies 
assaulted  successfully  several  houses  in  a  grove  from 


114  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

which  a  sharp  fire  had  been  kept  up ;  and  St.  Vrain 
commenced  a  movement  to  gain  the  enemy's  rear. 
In  a  short  time  the  enemy  were  in  full  flight,  and 
Cafiada  was  occupied. 

Our  loss  was  two  men  killed,  and  a  lieutenant 
and  six  men  wounded.  The  insurgents,  estimated 
at  fifteen  hundred  in  number,  left  thirty-six  killed. 

Next  morning  the  New  Mexicans  showed  in 
some  force  on  the  distant  heights,  but  on  the  ap- 
proach of  a  detachment,  sent  to  attack  them,  soon 
disappeared. 

Colonel  Price  advanced  up  the  Rio  del  Norte  as 
far  as  Luceros,  and  early  on  the  28th,  was  joined 
there  by  Captain  Burgwin, — who  brought  his  dis- 
mounted company  by  forced  marches, — by  an 
additional  company  of  his  own  regiment,  mounted, 
and  also  by  Lieut.  Wilson,  First  Dragoons,  with  a 
six  pounder,  which  had  been  sent  for. 

On  the  29th,  with  about  four  hundred  and 
eighty  rank  and  file,  Colonel  Price  advanced  to  La 
Joya,  and  th^re  learned  that  a  party  of  the  enemy 
occupied  a  very  strong  pass  or  canon,  leading  to 
Embudo,  but  on  a  country  road  that  was  impracti- 
cable for  artillery  and  v/agons>  he  therefore  detached 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  II5 

Captain  Burgwin  with  three  companies,  including 
St.  Vrain's,  to  attack  them  and  force  a  passage. 
Capt.  Burgwin  found  the  enemy  six  or  seven  hun- 
dred strong,  on  the  sides  of  the  mountains  at  the 
narrowest  part  of  the  gorge  ;  they  were  protected  by 
dense  masses  of  cedar  trees,  and  large  fragments  of 
rock.  He  dismounted  St.  Vrain's  company,  and  sent 
it  to  attack  the  slopes  on  the  left,  and  a  second  com- 
pany those  to  the  right.  Both  companies  advanced 
rapidly  in  open  order,  firing  with  much  execution, 
and  the  enemy  soon  fled  with  a  speed  that  de- 
fied all  pursuit.  Capt.  Burgwin  marched  through 
the  defile  into  the  open  valley,  and  then  occupied 
Embudo  without  opposition.  Our  loss  was  one 
killed  and  one  severely  wounded  ;  both  of  St. 
Vrain's  company.  The  insurgents'  loss  was  reported 
twenty  killed  and  sixty  wounded. 

On  the  30th,  Burgwin  marched  to  Trampas, 
where  he  was  joined  next  day  by  Price,  when  the 
whole  force  marched  to  Chamisola. 

February  1st,  the  summit  of  the  mountain  was 
reached,  and  the  next  day  the  command  quartered 
in  the  small  village  of  Rio  Chiquito,  at  the  entrance 
to   the  valley  of  Taos.     These  two    marches    were 


Il6  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

through  snow  so  deep  that  the  troops  h^d  to  break 
the  track  for  the  artillery  and  wagons ;  many  of  the 
men  were  frost  bitten. 

February  3d,  Price  marched  through  Fernan- 
do de  Taos  to  the  Pueblo,  which  he  found  strongly 
fortified.  It  was  enclosed  by  formidable  walls  and 
strong  pickets ;  within  the  enclosure  and  near  the 
northern  and  southern  walls  were  two  large  build- 
ings of  irregular  pyramidal  form,  seven  or  eight 
stories  in  height,  each  capable  of  sheltering  five 
or  six  hundred  men.  Besides  these  and  similar 
smaller  buildings,  a  large  church  was  situated  in  the 
northwest  angle,  with  a  narrow  passage  between  it 
and  the  outer  wall.  The  exterior  walls  and  all  the 
enclosed  buildings  were  pierced  for  rifles ;  every 
point  of  the  exterior  walls  was  flanked  by  project- 
ing buildings. 

The  western  flank  of  the  church  was  selected  for 
attack,  and  at  2  P.  M.,  Lieut.  Dyer,  of  the  Ordnance 
Department,  opened  fire  from  the  battery  at  about 
two  hundred  and  fifty  yards.  The  fire  by  the  six 
pounder,  and  howitzers  was  kept  up  abput  two 
hours,  when,  as  the  ammunition  wagon  had  not 
come  up,  and   the  troops  were  suffering    from  cold 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  II / 

and    fatigue,    the    forces    were   withdrawn    to    San 
Fernando. 

Colonel  Price  reported—"  Early  on  the  morning 
of  the  fourth,  I  again  advanced  upon  Pueblo.  Post- 
ing the  dragoons  under  Captain  Burgwin  about  two 
hundred  and  sixty  yards  from  the  western  flank 
of  the  church,  I  ordered  the  mounted  men  under 
Captains  St.  Vrain  and  Slack,  to  a  position  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  town,  whence  they  could  dis- 
cover and  intercept  any  fugitive  who  might  attempt 
to  escape  towards  the  mountains,  or  in  the  direction 
of  San  Fernando.  The  residue  of  the  troops  took 
ground  about  three  hundred  yards  from  the  north- 
ern wall.  Here,  too,  Lieut.  Dyer  established  himself 
with  the  six  pounder  and  two  howitzers,  while  Lt. 
Hassendaubel,  of  Major  Clark's  battalion  light  ar- 
tillery, remained  with  Captain  Burgwin,  in  command 
of  two  howitzers.  By  this  arrangement  a  cross-fire 
was  obtained,  sweeping  the  front  and  eastern  flank 
of  the  church. 

''  All  these  arrangements  being  made,  the  batteries 
opened  upon  the  town  at  nine  o'clock  A.  M.  At 
eleven  o'clock,  finding  it  impossible  to  breach  the 
walls  of  the  church  with  the   six   pounder  and  how- 


Il8  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

itzers,  I  determined  to  storm  the  building.  At  a 
signal,  Captain  Burgwin,  at  the  head  of  his  own 
company,  and  that  of  Captain  McMillin,  charged  the  • 
western  flank  of  the  church,  while  Captain  Angney, 
infantry  battalion,  and  Captain  Barber  and  Lieuten- 
ant Boon,  Second  Mo.  Mounted  Volunteers,  charged 
the  northern  wall.  As  soon  as  the  troops  above 
mentioned,  had  established  themselves  under  the 
western  wall  of  the  church,  axes  were  used  in  the 
attempt  to  breach  it ;  and  a  temporary  ladder  having 
been  made,  the  roof  was  fired.  About  this  time 
Captain  Burgwin,  at  the  head  of  a  small  party,  left 
the  cover  afforded  by  the  flank  of  the  church,  and 
penetrating  into  the  corral  in  front  of  that  building, 
endeavored  to  force  the  door.  In  this  exposed  situ- 
ation. Captain  Burgwin  received  a  severe  wound, 
which  deprived  me  of  his  valuable  services,  and  of 
which  he  died  on  the  7th  instant.  Lieutenants 
Mcllvaine,  First  U.  S.  Dragoons,  and  Royall  and 
Lackland,  Second  Regiment  Volunteers,  accom- 
panied Captain  Burgwin  into  the  corral;  but  the 
attempt  on  the  church  door  proved  fruitless,  and 
they  were  compelled  to  retire  behind  the  wall.  In 
the   mean    time   small  holes  had  been  cut    in    the 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  II9 

western  wall,  and  shells  were  thrown  in  by  hand, 
doing  good  execution.  The  six  pounder  was  now 
brought  around  by  Lieutenant  Wilson,  who  at  the 
distance  of  two  hundred  yards,  poured  a  heavy  fire 
of  grape  into  the  town.  The  enemy  during  all  of 
this  time  kept  up  a  destructive  fire  upon  our  troops. 
About  half  past  three  o'clock,  the  six  pounder  was 
run  up  within  sixty  yards  of  the  church,  and  after 
ten  rounds,  one  of  the  holes  which  had  been  cut 
with  the  axes  was  widened  into  a  practicable 
breach.  The  storming  party,  among  whom  were 
Lieutenant  Dyer  of  the  ordnance,  and  Lieutenants 
Wilson  and  Taylor,  First  dragoons,  entered  and  took 
possession  of  the  church,  without  opposition.  The 
interior  was  filled  with  dense  smoke,  but  for  which 
circumstance  our  storming  party  would  have  suf- 
fered great  loss.  A  few  of  the  enemy  were  seen  in 
the  gallery,  where  an  open  door  admitted  the  air, 
but  they  retired  without  firing  a  gun.  The  troops 
left  to  support  the  battery  on  the  north,  were  now 
ordered  to  charge  on  that  side.  The  enemy  aban- 
doned the  western  part  of  the  town.  Many  took 
refuge  in  the  large  houses  on  the  east,  while  others 
endeavored  to  escape  toward  the  mountains.     These 


I20  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

latter  were  pursued  by  the  mounted  men  under 
Captain  Slack  and  St.  Vrain,  who  killed  fifty-one  of 
them,  only  two  or  three  men  escaping.  It  was  now 
night,  and  our  troops  were  quietly  quartered  in  the 
houses  which  the  enemy  had  abandoned.  On  the 
next  morning  the  enemy  sued  for  peace,  and  think- 
ing the  severe  loss  they  had  sustained  would  prove  a 
salutary  lesson,  I  granted  their  supplication,  on  the 
condition  that  they  should  deliver  up  to  me  Tomas, 
— one  of  their  principal  men,  who  had  instigated 
and  been  actively  engaged  in  the  murder  of  Gover- 
nor Bent  and  others.  The  number  of  the  enemy  at 
the  battle  of  Pueblo  de  Taos  was  between  six  and 
seven  hundred.  Of  these  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  were  killed — wounded  not  known.  Our  own 
loss  was  seven  killed  and  forty-five  wounded ;  many 
of  the  wounded  have  since  died. 

"  The  principal  leaders  in  this  insurrection  were 
Tafoya,  Pablo  Chavis,  Pablo  Montoya,  Cortez  and 
Tomas,  a  Pueblo  Indian.  Of  these,  Tafoya  was  killed 
at  Cafiada;  Chavis  was  killed  at  Pueblo;  Montoya 
was  hanged  at  Don  Fernando  on  the  7th  instant, 
and  Tomas  was  shot  by  a  private  while  in  the  guard 
room  at   the   latter  town.       Cortez  is  still  at  large. 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  121 

This  person  was  at  the  head  of  rebels  in  the  valley 
of  the  Mora." 

Thus  in  the  prime  of  life,  James  H.  K.  Burgwin 
of  North  Carolina,  captain  in  First  Regiment  of 
Dragoons,  fell  in  the  brave  performance  of  duty. 
He  was  accomplished,  amiable,  and  much  beloved. 

It  was  lamentable  that  the  Pueblos  should  in  this 
single  case,  have  been  induced  by  some  strong  de- 
ceptions and  incitements,  to  take  up  arms.  The 
above  full  account  of  their  remarkable  aboriginal  pro- 
gress in  the  defensive  art  of  war,  through  which  they 
resisted  for  two  days  an  artillery  siege,  and  the  singu- 
lar defensive  form  of  their  dwelling  houses,  which  as 
citadels  saved  the  most  of  their  lives  in  the  assault,  is 
given  as  most  interesting.  In  the  heat  of  the  assault, 
a  dragoon  was  in  the  act  of  killing  a  woman,  unrecog- 
nized by  dress,  similar  to  the  man's,  and  both  sexes 
wearing  the  hair  long  ;  in  this  extremity  she  saved  her 
life  by  an  act  of  the  most  conclusive  personal  exposure  ! 
Seven  years  after,  the  author  raised,  in  half  a  day, 
a  company  of  irregulars  in  this  same  town,  to  serve 
against  the  Apaches,  and  efficient  fine  fellows  they 
were. 

The  insurrection  was  general  in  the  northern  and 


122  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

eastern  part  of  the  territory.  Vegas  was  saved  frorn 
revolt  by  the  presence  of  a  garrison  ;  near  there, 
and  other  northern  posts  of  troops,  were  rather  dis- 
tant grazing  camps;  they  were  attacked  with  some 
execution,  and  the  loss  of  the  animals.  Some  public 
and  sutler  trains  were  robbed  of  all  their  oxen  and 
mules.  At  the  handsome  village  of  Mora,  eighteen 
miles  west  of  the  present  Fort  Union,  eight  Ameri- 
cans were  murdered.  January  22d,  Capt.  Hendley, 
Second  Missouri  Volunteers,  marched  there  from  Ve- 
gas the  24th,  with  eighty  men  ;  he  found  it  occupied 
by  above  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  ;  he  engaged 
with  a  number,  attempting  to  enter  the  town,  who 
were  supported  by  a  sally;  he  then  assaulted  the  town; 
he  penetrated  from  house  to  house,  some  of  which 
were  destroyed,  and  into  one  end  of  their  fort, 
where  he  was  killed  and  several  were  wounded. 
Lieut.  McKarney  then— -apprehending  the  return 
of  from  three  hundred  to  five  hundred  men,  who 
had  left  there  that  day  for  Pueblo — withdrew,  and 
marched  back  to  Las  Vegas,  with  fifteen  prisoners  ; 
he  reported  fifteen  to  twenty  of  the  enemy  slain. 

January  30th,  the  camp  of  Capt.  Robinson  was- 
surprised,    and    two    hundred    horses     and     mules 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  1 23 

driven  off,  and  one  man  killed  and  two  wounded. 
Major  Edmonson  marched  to  his  relief  from  Vegas, 
and  afterward  followed  the  banditti  into  a  danger- 
ous canon  of  the  Canadian  River  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Mora  ;  he  reported,  "  the  hills  around  them 
literally  covered  with  Indians  and  Mexicans,"  esti- 
mated to  be  above  four  hundred.  He  fought  his  way 
through  with  much  difficulty  ;  but  having  to  return 
the  next  day  through  the  same  canon,  he  found 
"  that  the  enemy  had  left  on  the  night  after  the 
battle  in  great  haste,  leaving  horses,  cattle,  camp 
equipage,  etc.,  not  taking  time  to  scalp  or  strip  our 
men  lost  in  the  action,  as  is  their  custom."  He 
pursued,  but  found  that  they  had  dispersed  after 
dividing  their  spoil.  The  enemy's  loss  was  reported 
to  be  forty-one  killed. 

June  27th,  Lieut.  R.  T.  Brown,  Second  Mis- 
souri Volunteers,  went  with  two  volunteers  and  a 
Mexican  guide  in  pursuit  of  some  horses  which  had 
been  driven  off  from  Vegas ;  he  found  them  at  Las 
Vallas,  fifteen  miles  south,  and  attempting  to  seize 
them,  the  Mexicans  resisted,  and  attacked  and  killed 
the  whole  party.  Major  Edmonson  then  marched 
from  Vegas,  surprised  the  town,  shot  down  a  few  who 


124  THE   CONQUEST   OF       * 

attempted  to  escape,  took  forty  prisoners  and  sent 
them  to  Sante  Fe  for  trial. 

On  the  sixth  of  July,  the  grazing  camp  of  Cap- 
tain Morris's  company  was  attacked ;  Lieutenant 
Larkin  and  four  men  were  killed,  and  nine  wounded, 
and  all  the  horses  and  other  property  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  outlaws.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Willock 
marched  from  Taos  in  their  pursuit,  but  could  not 
overtake  them. 

Colonel  Price  reported  July  20th  that  his  com- 
mand was  so  reduced  by  the  departure  of  companies 
whose  time  had  expired,  that  he  considered  it  ne- 
cessary to  concentrate  all  his  forces  at  Santa  Fe  ;  that 
rumors  of  insurrection  were  rife,  and  also  of  a  large 
force  approaching  from  the  South  ;  he  adds,  "  it  is 
certain  that  the  New  Mexicans  entertain  deadly 
hatred  against  the  Americans." 

His  call  for  reinforcements  had  been  anticipated ; 
and  by  autumn,  fresh  volunteer  regiments  from 
Missouri,  engaged  for  the  war,  had  swelled  the  force 
in  New  Mexico  to  above  three  thousand ;  about 
double  the  numbers  of  those  who  made  the  first 
audacious  invasion,  and  apparent  conquest. 

And  New  Mexico  then  submitted. 


III. 


THE  INFANTRY  MARCH  TO  THE 
PACIFIC. 

'nr^HE  Mormon  battalion  was  left^  fifteen  miles 
west  of  the  Rio  Grande,  in  camp  near  a  deep 
ravine  in  which  was  a  natural  well  of  rock,  which 
the  sagacity  of  the  guides  had  discovered,  to  make 
their  first  venture  in  the  desert  a  success.  This  was 
November  the  T3th,  1846. 

Next  day  it  entered  upon  a  grassy  plain  extend- 
ing indefinitely  to  the  south-west ;  small  isolated 
mountains  rose  here  and  there  to  view,  but  a  low 
range  barred  the  better  course  westward  ;  four 
miles  out,  a  guide  was  met,  reporting  Leroux  and 
the  others  at  a  mountain  streamlet  eight  miles  off, 
and  more  to  the  north.     The  camp  was  made  there. 

"Thus  Leroux,  on  his  second  trip — or  third,  if  he 
attempted  the  exploration  promised  by  the  General, 
— has  only  reached  about  fort}^  miles  from  the  river! 
I  have  no  guide   that   knows   any   thing  about   the 


126  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

country ;  and  I  fear  such  exploring  will  prove  slow 
and  hazardous  work.  He  goes  to-morrow  with  six 
men,  and  is  to  send  back  one  for  each  of  my 
marches.  The  weather  is  cold  and  boisterous, 
threatening  snow.  We  find  here  apparently  the 
remains  of  a  stone  house,  but  only  a  foot  or  two 
high,  showing  no  marks  of  tools;  also  many  frag- 
ments of  pottery,  and  a  broken  mortar  of  very  hard 
red  stone,  etc." 

The  15th,  it  blew  a  gale  with  rain,  snow,  and 
sunshine,  alternately ;  as  there  was  fuel,  and  the 
guides  were  behind  hand,  the  battalion  did  not 
move. 

Next  day  it  marched  to  the  south,  skirting  the 
foot  of  the  mountain  about  thirteen  miles,  and 
camped  at  a  small  swampy  hole  of  water  near  a  gap 
of  the  mountain.  (This  has  found  its  way  to  some 
of  the  maps  as  Cooke's  Spring.)  There  was  no 
wood,  but  brush  answered  for  fuel.  "  Charboneaux 
has  returned,  and  reports  the  gap  in  front  of  us  to 
be  practicable,  and  that  there  is  water  six  miles  on  ; 
he  went  with  the  others  about  twelve  miles  beyond 
it,  without  finding  other  water." 

On  the  17th,   the  gap  was  passed  without  much 


NEW    MEXICO    AND   CALIFORNIA.  1 27 

difficulty,  and  turning  north,  the  water  was  found 
up  a  ravine  to  the  right,  but  only  three  miles 
from  the  other  camp.  As  the  guide  had  gone 
twelve  miles  further  without  discovering  water,  it 
was  necessary  to  camp  there. 

''  I  saw  to-day  a  new  variety  of  oak,  a  large 
luxuriant  bush,  eight  or  ten  feet  high,  with  leaves 
about  an  inch  long  ;  they  are  still  very  green  :  * 
also  a  new  and  very  beautiful  variety  of  the  Span- 
ish bayonet :  very  large  and  spherical  in  shape,  the 
largest  leaves  (or  spikes)  three  feet  long,  and  in- 
dented like  a  fine  saw,  with  a  stalk  eighteen  feet 
high  from  the  centre.  Tasson,  a  guide,  hunted 
and  killed  in  the  mountain,  two  goats  which  were 
found  to  have  cropped  ears. 

*'  At  this  camp  the  Cahfornia  partridge  was 
first  observed.  They  are  rounder,  smoother,  and 
have  longer  necks  than  ours,  with  a  beautiful 
plume  to  the  head,  and  are  slate  colored.  Also  a 
cactus  of  hemispherical  form,  fifteen  to  eighteen 
inches  in  diameter,  with  ridges  armed  with  horny 
hooks  three  inches  long.  Thirty  mortar  holes  cut  ^ 
into  flat  rocks  were  found  this  morning." 

*  Since  named  Quercus  emoryi. 


128  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

November  \Zth. — The  battalion  marched  eighteen 
miles  in  a  north-west  course  to  the  Mimbres,  (osiers, 
some  of  which  were  there  found,)  a  clear,  bold 
strea^m,  running  to  the  south,  but  sinking  a  little 
below  the  camp. 

Next  day  in  a  south-west  course,  slightly  ascend- 
ing over  a  smooth  prairie,  to  Ojo  de  Vaca,  (Cow 
Spring)  about  eighteen  miles  were  made.  This  spring 
is  on  a  road  from  the  copper  mines  to  Yanos. 

November  20th,  spent  in  camp,  was  an  anxious 
day.  The  guides  had  all  returned,  having  found  a 
little  water  in  the  end  of  a  ridge,  in  a  south-west 
course  toward  San  Bernadino — a  deserted  rancho, 
known  only  by  report.  They  had  gone  only  about 
twelve  miles  further  in  that  direction,  but  the 
absence  of  any  indication  of  water,  had  discouraged 
and  turned  them  back.  By  common  consent  the 
certainty  of  water  at  that  point  (thought  to  be  about 
seventy,  but  really  above  one  hundred  miles  distant) 
made  it  an  objective  point ;  'for  all  shrink  in- 
^  stinctively  from  entering  the  vast  table  land  to  the 
west,  where  no  broken  ground,  no  hill,  no  tree,  could 
be  seen  from  a  stand-point  four  hundred  feet  high. 
The  despairing  wanderer  whose  life  depends  upon 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  1 29 

finding  water,  always  turns  with  hope  to  a  mountain, 
to  a  tree,  or  to  broken  ground.' 

A  high  peak,  close  to  the  spring,  was  ascended, 
and  anxious  consultation  there  held.  This  road,  for 
copper  ore,  led  to  Yanos  ;  my  interpreter  had  been 
there  the  previous  summer;  he  and  the  guides  were 
positive  it  lay  to  the  south-west,  six  or  seven  days' 
marches  ;  the  interpreter  knew  there  was  a  road  or 
trail  from  there  to  the  presidios  Fronteras  and  Tuc- 
son due  west.  ■  This  would  surely  be  giving  up  the 
discovery  of  "a  wagon  road  to  the  Pacific!"  The 
staff  officers  and  the  captains  were  taken  into  council ; 
they,  the  guides  and  Mr.  Hall,  (the  volunteer  and 
M.  C.  elect,  who  had  accompanied  their  last  explo- 
ration,) all  agreed  it  was  too  great  a  risk  to  do  other- 
wise than  take  this  Yanos  road. 

It  was  found  advisable  at  this  camp,  to  order 
the  issues  of  flour  and  fresh  meat  to  be  increased  to 
ten  and  twenty-eight  ounces. 

November  2\st. — I  marched  this  morning  by  the 
road,  of  which  the  guides  had  pointed  out  the  course,  , 
west  of  south.  But  I  soon  found  it  leaving  level 
prairie  in  its  first  course,  and  leading  over  a  ridge, 
twenty-five  degrees  east  of  south.  I  had  relied  on 
6.. 


130  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

the  assertions  that  Yanos  was  to  the  south-west,  and 
balanced  in  my  judgment  of  many  other  weighty 
considerations,  had  taken  advice.  I  had  followed 
the  guides  in  almost  every  direction  but  eastward. 
After  proceeding  a  mile  and  a  half,  without  any 
further  consultation,  I  turned  short  to  the  right, 
and  directed  the  march  to  the  hole  of  water  which 
had  been  discovered  to  the  south-west.  .  .  I 
encamped  there,  at  the  foot  of  the  ridge,  the  water 
being  two  miles  up  a  narrow  valley  right  away  from 
my  course.  Whilst  camping,  fortunately,  some 
water,  enough  for  men's  use,  was  found  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  off. 

Next  day  the  battalion  took  a  south-west  course, 
preceded  but  two  hours  by  the  guides  ;  the  ground 
smooth,  slightly  descending,  v/ell  covered  with  grass. 
To  divide  the  greater  labor  of  breaking  the  track,  the 
leading  company  and  its  wagons,  after  an  hour,  were 
stopped  until  all  had  passed,  and  so  with  each  in 
turn  ;  this  became  the  rule. 

A  signal   smoke   was    seen   in   the   afternoon — 
which   should    announce    the    discovery  of  water — 
perhaps  fifteen  miles  off  in  front.     Keeping  its  direc- 
'  tion,  camp  was  made  at  dusk,  without  water. 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  131 

**  Since  dark  Charboneaux  has  come  in  ;  his  mule 
gave  out,  he  says,  and  he  stopped  for  it  to  rest  and 
feed  a  half  an  hour ;  when  going  to  saddle  it,  it  kicked 
at  him  and  ran  off;  he  followed  it  a  number  of 
miles  and  finally  shot  it ;  partly  I  suppose  from 
anger,  and  partly,  as  he  says,  to  get  his  saddle  and 
pistols,  which  he  brought  into  camp." 

Next  morning  the  march  began  before  sunrise. 
*'  All  admired  the  singular  and  unusual  beauty  which 
followed  its  rising ;  but  once  or  twice  before  had  a 
mirage  (caused  on  great  plains  by  unusual  vapor) 
been  observed.  A  distant  mountain  ridge  became 
the  shore  of  a  luminous  lake,  in  which  nearer  moun- 
tains or  hills  showed  as  a  vast  city, — castles,  church- 
es, spires !  even  masts  and  sails  of  shipping  could  be 
seen  by  some." 

In  the  mountain  ridge  the  water  was  found,  but 
it  was  not  enough  for  the  men  to  drink;  it  was  soon 
gone,  and  the  poor  fellows  were  waiting  for  it  to  leak 
from  the  rocks,  and  dipping  it  with  spoons  !  There 
was  nothing  to  do  but  toil  on  over  the  ridge.  Six 
miles  beyond,  a  guide  was  met  with  news  of  water 
three  leagues  further  on. 

We  came  in  sight  of  what  was  apparently  a  river. 


132  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

but  we  believed  it  to  be  sand.  For  hours  I  rode  on, 
approaching  it  obliquely,  but  seemed  to  get  no  nearer. 
At  last  I  struck  it  after  sundown,  and  found  it  some- 
thing extraordinary  ;  it  was  said  to  be  the  bottom  of 
a  long  dry  lake  or  swamp.  It  appeared,  in  the  obscu- 
rity, something  between  smooth  marble  and  a  great 
sheet  of  ice;  wagons  moved  with  traces  unstretched, 
and  made  no  track.  I  sent  to  order  those  in  the 
rear  to  bear  to  the  right,  and  take  advantage  of  it 
much  sooner.  I  passed  it  in  two  miles,  and  found 
at  its  shore  a  swampy  spot,  with  deep  water  holes. 

The  wagons  arrived  about  eight  o'clock,  having 
been  thirteen  hours  in  motion.  We  had  marched 
/  forty  miles  in  thirty-six  hours,  without  water.  But  for 
the  dry  lake,  we  should  not  have  reached  the  water 
until  the  next  day.  Mr.  Hall  came  to  the  right  of 
the  ridge,  and  he  thought  it  a  shorter  way. 

A  small  trading  party  of  Mexicans  was  found  at 
this  point,  where  the  battalion  remained  the  next 
day,  the  two  last  wagons  only  coming  up  that  night. 

Twenty-one  mules  were  purchased  of  the  Mexi- 
cans, who  gave  a  good  report  of  a  route  to  San  Ber- 
nadino  ;  and  one  of  them  was  engaged  as  a  guide, 
and   to  assist    in  opening  communication  with  the 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  1 33 

Apaches,  whom  they  report  to  have  plenty  of  mules, 
they  having  lately  returned  from  a  successful  raid 
into  Sonora. 

The  clay  flat  which  is  thirty  miles  long,  is  called 
by  the  Mexicans  Las  Playas.  "  There  occurred 
here,  ten  years  ago,  a  very  extraordinary  and  treach- 
erous massacre.  An  American  named  Johnson  with 
seventeen  men  of  various  nationalities,  (with  also  a 
Mexican  captain  and  four  soldiers,  but  who  are  said  to 
have  left  him  before  the  occuiTence)  had  come  from 
Sonora  on  a  plundering  expedition  against  the 
Apaches,  and  for  their  scalps,  for  which  fifty  dollars 
each  were  then  offered  by  the  government  of  So- 
nora. J.ohnson  met  here  above  a  hundred  men, 
besides  women  and  children  of  the  Apaches,  for 
trade ;  they  had  gathered  round  close,  and  unsus- 
pected he  had  concealed  a  swivel  between  two 
bags  of  flour  ;  it  was  loaded  to  the  muzzle  with  balls 
and  chain.  A  man  sat  smoking,  and  at  the  signal, 
uncovered  the  breech  and  fired  ;  this  was  followed 
by  two  rapid  discharges  of  small  arms. 

*'  At  this  explosion,  seemingly  from  the  ground, 
and  unexpected  as  an  earthquake,  the  Indians  not 
mangled  or  killed,  fled  in  consternation.     Johnson's 


134  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

party  soon  retired  and  were  followed  and  fired  upon 
without  effect  by  a  party  of  the  Apaches  ;  but  they 
killed  seven  more  of  them,  and  reached  Yanos  in 
rapid  retreat.  They  took  from  the  body  of  the 
chief,  Juan  Jos^,  who  was  slain,  an  order  w^hich 
Santa  Anna  in  his  Texan  campaign,  had  sent  to  a 
general  officer;  the  Indians  had  captured  it.  John- 
son still  lives  in  Sonora." 

In  the  three  days  following,  about  forty  miles 
were  marched  in  the  general  south-west  course, 
passing  a  low  mountain  gap,  through  broken  coun- 
try, finding  some  small  streams  and  good  grass. 

*'  Whilst  the  train  was  crawHng  up  the  pass,  I 
discovered  Charboneaux  near  the  summit  in  pur- 
suit of  bears.  I  saw  three  of  them  up  among  the 
rocks,  whilst  the  bold  hunter  was  gradually  nearing 
them.  Soon  he  fired,  and  in  ten  seconds  again  ;  then 
there  was  confused  action,  one  bear  falling  down, 
the  others  rushing  about  with  loud  fierce  cries,  amid 
which  the  hunter's  too,  could  be  distinguished  ;  the 
mountain  fairly  echoed.  I  much  feared  he  was  lost, 
but  soon,  in  his  red  shirt,  he  appeared  on  a  rock ;  he 
had  cried  out,  in  Spanish,  for  more  balls.  The 
bear   was   rolled   down,   and   butchered    before   the 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  I35 

wagons  passed.  It  is  a  fact  that  both  shots — and  the 
ball  of  the  second,  passed  from  the  hunter's  mouth 
into  the  muzzle  of  his  gun  with  only  its  weight  to 
send  it  home — made  but  one  hole  in  the  bear's  skin, 
in  the  side,  and  one  ball  ranged  forward,  the  other 
back.  .  .  .  There  is  much  that  is  strange  on  this 
table-land,  studded  with  peaks  and  mountains  of 
every  shape  ;  but  this  afternoon  all  must  have  been 
struck  with  the  quiet  beauty  of  the  scene.  The  moun- 
tain passed,  before  us  we  saw  a  smooth  plain,  narrow, 
but  unbounded  to  the  front ;  the  grama  grass  wav- 
ing with  the  south  wind,  received  from  the  slant 
sunshine  a  golden  sheen ;  but  the  whole  had  a  blue 
and  purple  setting  of  mountain  ranges  on  either 
side;  the  light,  the  shadows,  the  varying  distances 
gave  variety  and  beauty  of  hue ;  the  near  heights 
dotted  with  cedars,  the  silvered  granite  peaks,  and 
the  far  off  summits  of  the  Gila  Mountains;  and  then 
the  tree  tops  of  the  Las  Animas,  which  we  ap- 
proached, gave  the  cheering  promise,  which  the 
bracing  air  welcomed,  of  comfort  and  rest." 

November  28th,  a  faint  road  was  struck,  believed 
to  be  from  Yanos  ;  it  very  soon  led  to  a  very  pre- 
cipitous  and   rocky  descent  of  perhaps  a  thousand 


136  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

feet  into  the  heart  of  a  wild  confusion  of  n:iountains, 
which  extended  as  far  as  could  be  seen.  It  was 
soon  discovered  that  the  trail  could  not,  at  its  first 
descent,  at  least,  be  made  passable  for  the  wagons ; 
water  within  a  mile  was  fortunately  discovered,  and 
the  battalion  camped.  Leroux  and  all  but  one 
of  the  guides  were  still  absent.  Some  exploration 
was  then  made ;  all  pronounced  the  first  descent  im- 
passable for  wagons ;  but  immediately  a  large  party 
was  sent  to  work  a  passage-way.  That  night 
Leroux  arrived,  bringing  an  Apache  chief,  whom  he 
had  managed  with  difficulty  and  much  address. 
Next  morning  it  was  owing  to  Leroux's  positive 
assertions  and  arguments,  that  there  could  be,  and 

-  was  no  other  pass  but  the  horse  trail,  that  I  did  not 
insist  upon  his  thorough  examination.  He  even 
asserted,  but  was  mistaken,  that  he  had  examined 
an  opening  I  had  seen  from  an  eminence,  and 
believed  might  be  a  wagon  road.  Meanwhile  the 
party  continued,  the  second  day,  hard  at  work  with 
crowbar,   pick,  etc.,  while  I  sent  one  company  and 

V  about  half  the  baggage,  packed  on  mules,  to  the  first 
water  on  the  trail  in  a  deep  ravine  below.  It  was 
about  six  miles,  and  the  mules  were  brought  back 


NEW    MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  1 37 

in  the  evening.  Next  morning  they  took  the  rest 
of  the  loading,  and  I  succeeded  that  day  with  much 
labor  and  difficulty,  in  getting  the  wagons  to  the 
new  camp.  Some  were  let  down  by  ropes,  and  one 
was  broken.  About  this  time,  Doctor  Foster,  inter- 
preter, accidentally  found  the  intersection  of  an 
old  wagon  road  with  mine,  and  said  he  followed  it 
back,  and  that  it  led  to  the  verge  of  the  plain  about 
a  mile  from  our  point  of  descent.  He  says  this  is 
called  the  pass  of  Guadalope,  and  that  it  is  the  only 
one  for  many  hundred  miles  to  the  south,  by  which 
the  broken  descent  from  the  great  table-land  of 
Mexico  can  be  made  by  wagons,  and  rarely  by  pack 
mules 

'*  The  scenery  to-day  was  grand  and  picturesque. 
At  one  place  there  is  a  pass  not  thirty  paces  wide  ; 
on  one  side  a  cliff  overhangs  the  road  ;  just  opposite 
on  a  vertical  base  of  solid  rock,  forty  feet  high,  rests 
another  rock  of  a  rounded  cubical  form  of  about 
twenty-five  feet  dimensions;  on  its  top  rests  still 
another  of  spherical  shape,  twelve  or  fifteen  feet  in 
diameter.  The  mountains  and  sharp  ravines  were 
well  covered  with  the  new  species  of  oak  of  large 
size,  cedar,  sycamore,  etc.,  Spanish    bayonet,  mez- 


138  THE   CONQUEST  OF 

quit  and  other  shrubs,  all  of  a  bright  green.  We 
descended  about  one  thousand  feet.  Private  Ailen 
has  disappeared." 

December  ist. — Seven  miles  were  made  down 
the  dry  bed  of  a  mountain  stream,  and  the  pioneers 
went  to  the  edge  of  a  prairie,  and  returned.  The 
scenery  was  beautiful ;  broken  mountains,  preci- 
pices, and  a  confusion  of  rocks ;  the  mezcal  and 
Spanish  bayonet  become  trees  ;  evergreen  oaks,  cot- 
tonwoods  and  sycamores  brilliantly  colored  by  frost. 
*''  Messrs.  Smith,  Hall,  and  myself  have  ascended  a 
peak,  near  by,  some  eight  hundred  feet  high.  Our 
view  was  extensive.  A  few  miles  to  the  south,  we 
saw  the  Huaqui,  which  becoming  a  large  river,  emp- 
ties far  down  into  the  Gulf  of  California.  To  the 
north-west  we  saw  a  prairie  for  thirty  or  forty  miles, 
narrowed  by  the  mountains,  seen  every  where  else, 
to  a  gap-Hke  outlet.  We  supposed  that  must  be 
our  course.  San  Bernadino  was  not  visible.  The 
top  of  the  mountain  was  about  thirty  yards  by  fif- 
teen. I  suggested  what  a  world's  wonder  it  would 
be,  set  like  a  gem  in  the  grounds  of  the  capitol. 
The  rocks,  like  all  on  this  mountain,  glittered  with 
crystals  of  silex,  white,  pink,  and  even  purple  ;  there 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  1 39 

grew  a  giant  mezcal  thirty  feet  high,  and  others  of 
this  year  ;  bristling  spheres  of  green  bayonets,  three 
feet  long ;  several  shrubs  without  a  name ;  cacti, 
from  a  little  pink  ball  at  your  feet,  to  the  size  of 
trees ;  a  nondescript,  thought  to  be  of  that  family, 
sending  out  rods  fourteen  feet  long,  with  rosin  for 
bark,  and  two  inch  spikes  for  leaves,  which  I  named 
'devil  rod,'  etc." 

That  night  thick  ice  formed  in  the  tents.  Next 
day  the  battalion  was  soon  clear  of  the  cafion,  and  eight 
miles  brought  them  into  and  across  wide  meadows 
to  the  old  houses  of  the  rancho  of  San  Bernadino ; 
it  is  enclosed  by  a  wall  with  two  regular  bastions ; 
the  spring  is  fifteen  paces  in  diameter.  The  soil  was 
thought  good,  but  the  grass  at  that  time  was  poor ; 
the  rising  ground  beyond  was  a  mezquit  chaparral. 

Before  this  rancho  was  desolated  by  the  Apaches, 
there  were  reported  to  be  eighty  thousand  cattle  on 
it ;  the  Gila  was  said  to  be  its  northern  boundary. 

The  ox,  in  a  perfectly  wild  state,  abounds  here ; 
the  guides  have  shot  three  or  four.  As  we  descended 
from  the  high  ground,  an  immense  red  bull  rushed 
by  in  front,  at  great  speed  ;  it  was  more  novel  and 
exciting  than  the  sight  of  buffaloes. 


I40  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

The  following  day,  December  3d,  was  passed  ai 
San  Bernadino.  The  hope  of  obtaining  mules  of 
the  Apaches  resulted  in  disappointment ;  quite  a 
number  of  them  came  to  the  camp,  but  none  of  the 
village  which  Leroux  had  visited  ;  they  gave  infor- 
mation as  to  the  route  to  the  San  Pedro,  and 
promised  a  guide.  They  are  poor,  dirty  Indians,  but 
are  generally  dressed  in  cotton  shirts,  and  many  in 
trousers ;  they  wear  fine  moccasins,  with  tops,  or 
leggings  attached.  They  ride  fine  horses,  and  are 
armed  with  formidable  lances,  guns  and  bows  ;  they 
are  ugly  and  squalid,  wear  their  hair  generally  long, 
and  in  various  fashions.  They  wear  a  kind  of  leather 
skull  cap,  now  and  then  ornamented  by  feathers. 
They  seem  to  understand  Spanish,  and  no  doiibt 
speak  it,  imperfectly;  but  all  Indians  have  a  singu- 
lar aversion  to  using,  when  not  really  necessary,  any 
language  foreign  to  them  ;  their  own  tongue  is,  by 
far,  the  most  brutal  grunt  that  I  have  ever  heard  ; 
their  lips  scarcely  move,  and  the  words  come  out  a 
stuttering,  jerking  guttural. 

That  day,  Allen — who  is  the  only  member  of  the 

"  battalion  not  a  Mormon, — got  back  after  an  absence 

of  five  days;  he  had  found  our  road  just  beyond  the 


NEW    MEXICO   AND    CALIEORNIA.  I4I 

first  descent  into  the  pass,  and  his  great  misfortunes 
seem  to  have  turned  upon  his  taking  it  for  granted 
that  the  command  could  not  have  come  that  way  ; 
he  had  been  stripped  of  every  thing  by  Indians,  and, 
having  no  knife,  had  eaten  of  a  dead  horse,  in  the 
fashion  of  a  wolf. 

A  party  of  pioneers  worked  on  a  Fronteras  trail,  as 
far  as  it  should  be  followed, — six  or  eight  miles,  and 
finding  water,  returned.  Hunting  parties  were  sent 
out,  and  brought  in  at  nigh^,  beef  enough  for  five  days. 

December  \th, — No  Indians  came  in,  and  the 
guides  were  sent  forward.  In  the  afternoon  the  bat- 
talion marched  eight  miles  to  the  west,  into  a  pass 
of  a  low  range  of  hills.  There  is  a  remarkable  rock 
one  hundred  feet  high  just  back  of  the  camp  ;  and 
in  front,  a  peak  with  a  facade  of  rock  apparently  ,/ 
painted  green,  yellow  and  brown  ;  it  is  the  natural  col- 
or combined  with  moss  ;  between  is  a  rocky  basin  of 
water,  and  there  is  some  good  grass.  Apparently  hun- 
dreds of  wild  cattle  come  here  to  water  daily.  The 
road  which  we  cut  to-day  is  much  up  hill,  and  gen- 
erally through  thickets  of  mezquit,  or  thorny  bushes. 
This  camp  is  less  than  twenty  miles  from  Fronteras, 
Sonora. 


142  THE  CONQUEST  OF 

December  ^th, — The  defile  was  long  and  rough ; 
the  tongue  of  a  wagon  was  broken;  but  some  of 
the  useful  parts  were  brought  on.  The  condition  of 
many  of  the  mules  may  be  judged  from  the  fact  that 
two  died  last  night,  the  warmest  for  a  month,  after 
several  days*  rest,  and  a  march  of  only  eight  miles. 
Fourteen  m.iles  brought  me  to  a  large  spring,  which 
as  usual,  is  lost  after  running  a  few  yards.  I  met 
the  Indian  guide  passing  back  rapidly  on  his  grey 
horse,  bow  in  hand,  and  giving  the  column  a  wide 
berth.  I  however  brought  him  to,  and  had  a  little 
talk  with  him  in  barbarous  Spanish.  He  was  very 
uneasy.  I  thought  at  first  he  had  run  off  from 
Leroux.N  The  wild  cattle  are  very  numerous.  I 
saw  one  killed,  but  only  after  twenty  wounds,  and  a 
number  of  the  shots  at  ten  paces,  as  sometimes 
with  buffalo.  Mr.  Hall  was  chased  by  one,  and  put 
in  much  danger  by  the  obstinacy  of  his, mule.  I 
measured  the  spinal  process  of  one,  ("  hump  rib  ") 
that  was  eleven  inches  in  length. 

On  the  6th,  the  battalion  cut  its  way  twelve 
miles  through  mezquit ;  there  was  rain  and  some 
snow,  so  that  a  camp  at  a  water  hole  at  a  fine  grove 
of  oak  and  walnut   was  very  welcome.     The  assim- 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  I43 

ilation  of  the  wild  cattle  to  buffalo,  was  further  ob- 
served  in  the  separation,  most  of  the  year,  of  bulls 
from  all  the  rest.  Cows  or  calves  were  scarcely 
seen,  and  none  killed. 

Next  day  the  battalion  remained  in  camp,  and 
were  busy  smoking  beef.  In  the  evening  a  guide 
returned,  reporting  no  water  for  twelve  miles,  but 
the  grass  unusually  green,  and  indications  of  the 
river  being  not  many  miles  beyond. 

DeceTuber  Zth. — There  was  a  march  of  seven- 
teen miles  to  the  north-west,  and  the  battalion  had 
to  do  without  water.  The  valley  of  the  San  Pedro, 
stretching  far  north,  gave  indications  that  the  river 
was  very  near.  They  passed  near  a  field  of  snow. 
Wild  horses  were  seen  very  near. 

December  gth. — I  marched  at  sunrise.  As  we 
approached  a  long  black  streak  of  mezquit,  etc., 
where  we  imagined  we  should  find  the  San  Pedro, 
we  were  much  disappointed.  We  fell  into  the 
smooth  valley  of  a  dry  branch,  and  I  finally,  in  my 
great  anxiety,  feared  we  had  passed  too  far  south 
for  the  river,  or  that  this  dry  branch  was  the  head 
of  it ;  the  guides  had  all  become  doubtful  them- 
selves.    Troops  of  wild  horses,  cattle  and  antelopes, 


144  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

seemed  to  invite  the  attention,  little  of  which  was 
given.  Leaving  the  great  valley  of  the  dry  branch, 
we  soon  left  behind  all  appearances  of  broken  ground, 
mezquit  or  timber;  taking  our  course  toward  a 
mountain  range,  which  was  white  with  snow,   and 

rfrom  which  a  northwester  cut  us  to  the  bone.  A 
vast  unbroken  slope  of  prairie  was  before  us ;  my 
anxiety  became  very  great,  and  I  pushed  on  at  a 
fast  gait  to  the  guides,  and  after  ascending  some- 
what, saw  a  valley  indeed,  but  no  other  appearance 
of  a  stream  than  a  few  ash  trees  in  the  midst ;  but 
they,  with  numerous  cattle  paths,  gave  every  prom- 
ise of  water.  On  we  pushed,  and  finally,  but  not 
until  within  twenty  paces,  I  saw  a  fine  bold  stream ! 
There  was  the  San  Pedro,  so  long  and  anxiously 
sought.  I  crossed  the  stream  without  difficulty, 
to  the  other  and  smoother  side  of  the  valley,  at 
noon,  and  camped  six  miles  lower  down.     We  were 

'  twenty-seven  miles  without  water.  My  animals  get 
grama  grass  every  night  on  the  hills  ;  it  is  straw 
colored,  and  looks  dead,  but  the  mules  have  lately 
improved  on  it,  and  the  thousands  of  wild  cattle  and 
horses  are  fat. 

Next  day  the  march  was  fifteen  miles  down  the 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  I45 

river.     It  seemed   a  fertile   valley,  the  low  grounds 
about  a:  mile   wide  ;  salmon   trout,  eighteen   inches  ^^ 
long,  were  caught.     The  wild  cattle   were  still  more 
numerous,  and  it  was  observed  that  they  made  dry 
"  wallows  "  like  the  buffalo. 

On  the  nth,  there  was  found  very  high  grass  in 
the  bottom,  which  was  also  lumpy.  At  two 
o'clock,  I  again  came  to  a  canon,  and  several  men 
having  been  wounded,  and  much  meat  killed,  I  en- 
camped. 

There  was  quite  an  engagement  with  bulls,  and 
(I  had  to  direct  the  men  to  load  their  muskets  to 
defend  themselves.  The  animals  attacked  in  some 
instances  without  provocation,  and  tall  grass  in 
some  places  made  the  danger  greater ;  one  ran  on 
a  man,  caught  him  in  the  thigh,  and  threw  him  ,^ 
clear  over  his  body  lengthwise  ;  then  it  charged  on 
a  team,  ran  its  head  under  the  first  mule  and  tore  ^ 
out  the  entrails  of  the  one  beyond.  Another  ran 
against  a  sergeant,  who  escaped  with  severe  bruises, 
as  the  horns  passed  at  each  side  of  him  ;  one  ran 
at  a  horse  tied  behind  a  wagon,  and  as  it  escaped, 
the  bull  struck  the  wagon  v/ith  a  momentum  that 
forced  the  hind  part  of  it  out  of  the  road.  I  saw 
7 


146  THE  CONQUEST   OF 

one  rush  at  some  pack  mules,  and  kill  one  of  them. 
I  was  very  near  Corporal  Frost,  when  an  immense 
coal-black  bull  came  charging  at  us,  a  hundred 
yards.  Frost  aimed  his  musket,  flint  lock,  very 
deliberately,  and  only  fired  when  the  beast  was 
within  six  paces  ;  it  fell  headlong,  almost  at  our  feet. 
One  man,  charged  on,  threw  himself  flat,  and  the 
bull  jumped  over  him  and  passed  on. 

A  bull,  after  receiving  two  balls  through  its 
heart,  and  two  through  the  lungs,  ran  on  a  man.  I 
have  seen  the  heart.  Lieut.  Stoneman  was  acci- 
dentally wounded  in  the  thumb.  We  crossed  a 
pretty  stream  which  I  have  named  "  Bull  Run." 

The  river  was  followed  two  more  days,  twenty- 
two  miles,  making  sixty-five  in  all ;  the  ground 
became  more  difficult,  with  the  approach  to  moun- 
tains extending  to  the  Gila.  Then  Leroux  and 
other  guides  returned  from  an  exploration  of  the 
table-land  to  the  west,  where  at  twenty  miles  dis- 
tance, they  had  found  water,  on  a  trail  to  Tucson  ; 
at  it  were  a  party  of  Apaches,  some  Mexicans  dis- 
tiUing  mezcal  whiskey,  and  some  soldiers ;  they 
reported  a  garrison  of  two  hundred  men  at  Tucson, 
Leroux,  to  get  off,  invented  some  story,  and  Foster, 


NEW  MEXICO  AND   CALIFORNIA.  147 

the  interpreter  had  thought  proper  to  go  on  to 
Tucson,  to  give  it  more  probability. 

The  battaHon  were  exercised  in  arms,  and  an 
order  was  read,  announcing  a  march  for  Tucson  ; 
not  specially  to  attack  it,  but  it  was  necessary  to 
"  overcome  all  resistance." 

December  14th,  the  battalion  turned  up  the  bluff, 
ascending  for  nine  miles,  when  the  trail  was   struck. 

About  six  miles  from  the  still-house,  I  ordered 
fifty  men  to  follow,  and  pushed  on  with  my  suit, 
and  passed  the  advance  guard  and  pioneers.  Com- 
ing to  water,  I  rode  in  among  four  or  five  soldiers  in 
uniform,  cutting  grass,  their  horses  and  arms  at  their 
saddles,  near  by ;  they  seemed  scarcely  to  notice  our 
arrival ;  a  strange  simplicity  ;  but  indicating  a  convic- 
tion that  the  savages  were  their  natural  and  only 
enemies. 

The  camp  was  estabhshed  at  dark,  on  good 
ground  with  water,  grass  and  fuel.  The  march  was 
twenty  miles. 

The  sergeant  of  the  Mexican  party  said  that 
reports  had  been  spread  which  alarmed  the  people, 
who  were  about  to  fly  ;  and  the  commandant  sent  me 
a  request  not  to  pass  through  the  town  ;  that  he  had 


148  THE  CONQUEST  OF 

orders  to  prevent  it ;  but  that  I  might  pass  on  either 
side.  I  told  the  sergeant,  that  if  the  garrison  was 
very  weak  I  should  probably  not  molest  it  ;  but  to  go 
back  and  tell  the  people,  that  we  were  their  friends, 
and  wanted  to  purchase  flour,  etc.     He  soon  left. 

Next  day  twelve  miles  were  marched,  and  the 
camp  was  made,  as  expected,  with  no  water;  quite 
an  obstacle  was  encountered  in  a  new  species  of 
cactus,  which  maddened  some  of  the  mules.  Four 
other  Mexican  soldiers  were  met,  who  acted  in  the 
same  confiding  manner,  but  were  secured  ;  on  being 
questioned  in  camp,  the  corporal,  a  son  of  Comadu- 
ran  the  commandant,  said  that  Foster  was  under 
guard,  but  had  hcQi}  deg-g-ed  to  come  with  them,  and 
refused  !  A  note  was  sent  by  one  of  the  pioneers, 
demanding  Foster's  return  to  this  camp  ;  and  adding, 
that  the  prisoners  were  held  as  hostages. 

Another  extraordinary  variety  of  cactus  was 
seen  which  should  be -called  columnar  ;  a  straight 
column  thirty  feet  high,  near  two  feet  in  diameter, 
fluted  very  similarly  to  the  Corinthian  column,  only 
the  capital  wanting  ;  some  throw  out  one  or  more 
branches,  gracefully  curved  and  then  vertical,  like 
the  branches  of  a  candelabrum. 


NEW    MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  I49 

But  two  days'  rations  of  meat  had  been  issued 
in  the  last  two  weeks  from  the  commissary  pro- 
visions. 

After  midnight  Foster  was  brought  to  camp  by 
two  officers;  one  was  a  "  commissioner,"  authorized 
to  make  a  special  armistice.  After  a  rather  long 
conference,  they  were  dismissed  with  the  proposi- 
tion, that  a  few  arms  should  be  delivered  as  tokens 
of  a  surrender,  which  only  required  them  not  to 
serve  against  the  United  States  during  the  present 
war  until  exchanged. 

The  last  camp  proved  to  be  sixteen  miles  from 
the  town.  A  few  miles  out,  a  fine  looking  cavalry- 
man well  armed  was  met;  he  delivered  a  dispatch, 
and  was  suffered  to  retire  without  answer  ;  it  was 
merely  a  refusal  of  the  terms  offered.  The  battalion 
was  made  ready  for  engagement.  Very  soon  after, 
two  Mexicans  were  met,  who  gave  information  that 
the  post  had  been  evacuated,  and  that  most  of  the 
inhabitants  had  also  left,  forced  off  by  the  military ; 
that  these  last  had  carried  off  two  brass  cannon. 
But  about  a  dozen  well  mounted  men  met  and  ac- 
companied the  battalion  into  town  :  some  of  them 
were  said  to   be  soldiers. 


150  THE  CONQUEST   OF 

The  camp  was  made  about  half  a  mile  beyond 
the  town,  which  is  a  Pueblo.  About  a  hundred  of 
the  perhaps  five  hundred  inhabitants  had  remained. 
The  barracks  are  on  the  highest  ground,  enclosed 
hy  a  wall  with  abutments  and  battlements  in  bad 
repair. 

Some  provisions  were  brought  to  the  camp  for 
sale ;  the  battalion  was  now  without  salt,  and  only- 
three  bushels  could  be  obtained  there. 

The  valley  of  the  little  river,  about  a  mile  wide, 
seemed  fertile.  The  wheat  was  then  green :  the 
only  fruits  observed  were  pomegranates  and  quin- 
ces. There  being  little  or  no  grass,  a  quantity  of 
wheat  found  in  the  forts  was  used  for  feed,  and  as 
much  as  could  be  carried,  was  ordered  to  be  taken 
both  for  mules  and  men.  A  party  from  the  garrison 
had  been  sent  to  the  Gila,  perhaps  to  observe  the 
march  of  the  battalion,  expected  to  pass  by  General 
Kearny's  route  ;  they  were  reported  to  have  passed 
back  that  afternoon,  making  a  circuit  round  the 
Pueblo. 

Next  morning,  many  mules  having  strayed  in  the 
thickets,  which  would  cover  approaches  to  the  town 
and  camp,  it  was  thought  well  to  make  ademonstra- 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  151 

tion  at  least,  up  the  little  river,  toward  a  village,  eight 
or  ten  miles  above  ;  its  remarkably  large  stone  church 
had  l?een  visible  from  the  hills,  in  approaching  the 
town.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Cooke,  with  a  dozen 
officers  and  others,  mounted  on  mules,  and  abouc 
forty  volunteers  from  the  battalion,  accordingly 
passed  up  ;  but  marching  four  or  five  miles,  it  was 
found  that  the  thickets  had  become  a  dense  forest  of 
mezquit  trees,  which  extended  to  the  village,  of- 
fering to  the  Mexicans  an  excellent  ambush  ;  and 
so,  while  waiting  for  the  straggling  footmen  to  close 
up,  it  was  concluded  that,  the  demonstration  being 
made,  every  reasonable  object  except  the  examina- 
tion of  the  church,  was  accomplished,  and  so  the 
detachment  returned  to  camp.  Signal  smokes  had 
been  observed,  and  it  was  afterward  ascertained, 
that  at  this  Indian-like  announcement  of  the  ap- 
proach, the  Mexicans  further  retreated  ;  and  the 
reinforcements,  which  had  come  from  the  presidios 
of  Fronteras,  Santa  Cruz  and  Tubac,  marched  to 
return  to  their  posts. 

A  note  was  written  to  be  delivered  to  Captain 
Comaduran,  on  his  return,  enclosing  a  letter  for 
Don  Manuel  Gandara,  Governor  of  Sonora,  at  Ures, 


152  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

who  was  said  to  be  very  well  disposed  to  the  United 
States  ;  it  is  here  given  : 

Camp  at  Tucson,  Sonora,  Dec.  i8th,  1846. 

Your  Excellency: — The  undersigned,  marching  in 
command  of  a  battalion  of  United  States  infantry 
from  New  Mexico  to  California,  has  found  it  conve- 
nient for  the  passage  of  his  wagon  train,  to  cross  the 
frontier  of  Sonora.  Having  passed  within  "fifteen 
miles  of  Fronteras,  I  have  found  it  necessary  to  take 
this  presidio  in  my  route  to  the  Gila. 

Be  assured  that  I  did  not  come  as  an  enemy  of 
t\iQ  people  whom  you  represent  ;  they  have  received 
only  kindness  at  my  hands.  Sonora  refused  to  con- 
tribute to  the  support  of  the  present  war  against 
my  country,  alleging  the  excellent  reasons  that  all 
her  resources  were  necessary  to  her  defence  from 
the  incessant  attacks  of  savages ;  that  the  central 
government  gave  her  no  protection,  and  was  there- 
fore entitled  to  no  support.  To  this  might  have 
been  added  that  Mexico  supports  a  ivar  upon  Sonora. 
For  I  have  seen  New  Mexicans  within  her  boundary 
trading  for  the  spoil  of  her  people,  taken  by  murder- 
ous, cowardly  Indians,  who  attack  only  to  lay  waste, 
rob  and  fly  to  the  mountains ;  and  I  have  certain  in- 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.     .  1 53 

formation,  that  this  is  the  practice  of  many  years ; 
thus  one  part  of  Mexico  allies  itself  against  another. 

The  unity  of  Sonora  with  the  States  of  the 
north,  now  her  neighbors,  is  necessary  effectually  to 
subdue  these  Parthian  Apaches. 

Meanwhile,  I  make  a  wagon  road  from  the 
streams  of  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
through  the  valuable  plains,  and  mountains  rich 
with  minerals,  of  Sonora.  This  I  trust  will  prove 
useful  to  the  citizens  of  either  republic,  who,  if  not 
more  closely,  may  unite  in  the  pursuits  of  a  highly 
beneficial  commerce. 

With  sentiments  of  esteem  and  respect,  I  am 
your  Excellency's  most  obedient  servant, 

P.  St.  G.  Cooke, 
Lieut-colonel  of  United  States  Forces. 
To  his  Excel'y,  Sen.  Don  Manuel  Gandara. 
Governor  of  Sonora,  Ures,  Sonora. 

A  false  alarm  was  made  that  night;  "at  mid- 
night I  was  awoke  from  sound  sleep  by  one  of  the 
picket  guard,  who,  all  out  of  breath,  assured  me  that 
a  large  Mexican  army  was  coming  from  the  town. 

"  Such  a  high-sounding  announcement  only  aroused 

7* 


154  THE  CONQUEST   OF 

dreamy  thoughts  of  historical  war,  but  instantly  the 
officer  of  the  day  informed  me  that  a  picket  had 
fired  upon  some  body  of  men  coming  from  town. 
My  trumpets  instantly  rang  with  the  **  assembly."  I 
sent  a  company  to  the  village,  with  a  reconnoitering 
party  under  Lieutenant  Stoneman  in  advance,  and 
other  dispositions  vy^ere  made.  But  nothing  was 
discovered." 

The  best  information  possible  had  been  sought 
as  to  the  desert  between  Tucson  and  the  Gila  River  ; 
it  was  a  most  formidable  undertaking  for  the  way- 
worn footmen. 

On  the  1 8th,  the  march  was  resumed  before  ten 
o'clock;  the  river  sinks  within  a  few  miles;  the 
mules  were  carefully  watered  about  seven  miles  out, 
at  the  last  water;  the  next  three  miles,  down  the 
dry  bed  was  exceedingly  difficult,  from  sand  and 
otherwise.  Leaving  the  course  of  the  stream,  the 
level  ground  offered  much  obstruction  in  mezquit ; 
at  dusk  more  sand  was  encountered  ;  after  that  the 
march  was  continued  three  hours  over  a  level  baked- 
clay  surface,  with  a  few  mezquit  thickets.  In  one 
^  of  these  the  camp  was  made  at  nine  o'clock  P.M. 
without   water.     There   was  no  moon.     The  march 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  1 55 

had  been  twenty-four  miles.     The  mules   were  tied 
up  and  scantily  fed  with  wheat. 

The  march  was  resumed  the  20th,  at  sunrise  ;  it 
was  fourteen  miles  to  the  pass  between  two  isola- 
ted small  mountains,  and  a  water  hole,  reported  to 
be  there,  could  not  be  found.  There  was  nothing 
to  do  but  march  on  ;  there  was  the  same  baked-clay 
surface,  with  a  little  sand.  At  sundown  a  very 
small  pool  was  come  to  ;  too  shallow  for  dipping 
with  a  cup,  but  enough  for  most  of  the  men  to  get  a 
drink  by  lying  down. 

At  7  o'clock,  after  dark,  permission  was  given 
to  the  captains  to  halt  their  companies  at  dis- 
cretion, but  not  over  six  hours  in  all.  The  mules 
would  certainly  go  on  better  in  the  cold  night  with- 
out water. 

At  8.30  o'clock  the  advance  guard,  who  had  been 
with  the  guides,  were  overtaken ;  they  had  stopped 
at  a  small  pool,  but  the  loose  and  packed  mules, 
which  had  been  sent  on,  had  rushed  into  it  and  con- 
sumed or  spoiled  all.  Just  then  an  agreed  signal 
of  sufficient  water  was  observed,  a  fire  made  of 
dry  artemisia.  The  march  was  continued  ;  it  was 
cloudy  and  very   dark ;    after  advancing  a  mile  or 


156  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

two  with  difficulty  over  very  uneven  and  bushy 
ground  the  fire  was  reached,  and  found  to  have 
been  made  by  a  stupid  guide  for  his  own  comfort. 
The  mules  could  go  no  further  over  such  ground, 
and  a  halt  for  the  rest  of  the  night  was  ordered. 

The  battalion  had  then  marched  twenty-six 
hours  of  the  last  thirty-six  ;  they  were  almost  bare- 
footed, carried  .their  muskets  and  knapsacks ;  the 
mules  had  worked  forty-seven  miles  without  water. 
A  little  wheat  was  now  given  to  them. 

The  march  was  resumed  at  7  o'clock  A,  M. ;  the 
guides  well  ahead. 

The  road  was  very  bad  ;  after  three  or  four  hours 
Leroux  was  met,  with  information  of  some  pools 
three  or  four  miles  on  :  he  was  sent  on  again  tor 
search  further.  At  11  o'clock,  part  of  the  battalion 
arrived  there  ;  sentinels  were  posted  to  prevent  dip- 
ping, and  one  pool  was  reserved  for  the  beeves. 
(When  they  reached  it,  they  rushed  in  headlong, 
spoiling  all.) 

Weaver,  a  guide,  had  reason  to  believe  it  was 
eighteen  miles  further  to  the  river ;  the  temperature 
was  almost  hot  ; — but  soon,  Leroux  came  again, 
to   illume  the    gloomy  prospect   b}^    the  happy  an- 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  I  57 

nouncement  of  a  sufficiency  of  rain  ponds  a  mile  or 
two  on  ;  and  there,  soon  after  noon,  the  battahon 
arrived  and  camped ;  and  there  was  mezqiiit  for 
the  animals  to  browse.     The  guides  were  sent  on. 

This  great  plain  of  clay,  sand  and  gravel,  with 
artemisias  and  mezquit,  seems  unbounded  to  the 
west.  I  am  told  it  extends  a  hundred  miles  ;  with 
no  water  or  animals ;  but  in  the  dim  distance  un- 
connected fantastically  shaped  mountains  appear. 
It  is  a  gold  district,  and  reputed  to  be  of  the  very 
richest ;  but  never  yet  worked,  on  account  of  its 
utter  barrenness,  and  the  fear  of  Indians. 

I  have  been  mounted  thirty-two  of  the  last  fifty- 
two  hours ;    and  what    with    midnight   conferences,'^ 
alarms  and  marches,  have  had  little  rest  for  five  days. 

The  battalion  have  marched  sixty-two  miles  from 
Tucson,  in  about  fifty-one  hours ;  no  ration  of  meat 
was  issued  yesterday. 

December  21st. — The  battalion  marched  at  sun- 
rise ;  the  road  was  very  good,  and  passed  between 
two  small  mountains,  where  the  columnar  cactus 
abounded  ;  a  decayed  one  showed  a  framework  of 
wooden  poles,  cylindrically  disposed,  and  evidently 
suitable  for  shafts  for  lance  or  spear ;  the  old  columns 


'158  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

for  some  feet  above  the  ground  have  a  bark,  and 
exactly  the  appearance  of  the  cottonwood. 

We  were  soon  gladdened  at  sight  of  the  trees 
of  the  Gila  ;  but  the  trail  bending  westward,  ap- 
proached it  obliquely,  and  we  found  it  ten  miles  to 
its  bank.  We  had  struck  Gen.  Kearny's  route,  and 
here  went  into  camp. 

From  the  point  where  Gen.  Kearny  left  the  Rio 
Grande,  about  two  hundred  and  twenty  eight  miles 
below  Sante  Fe,  and  where  our  routes  diverged,  to 
their  camp,  near  the  Pimo  village,  I  made  a  map  and 
sketch  of  my  road  ;  I  had  the  aid  of  no  instrument 
but  a  compass. 

Captain  Emory  of  the  Topographical  Engineers, 

I  on  the  General's   staff,   had  the   duty  of  making   a 

I  map  with  the  aid,  of  course,  of  the  best  instruments, 

I  for  determining  latitude,   longitude,  etc.     My  rude 

map  covered  four  hundred  and  seventy-four  miles, 

and  it  chanced  to  get  into  Captain   Emory's  hands 

while  he  was  finishing  his  own  map  in  Washington. 

The  tests  which  he  was  able  to  apply  to  it,  proved 

its  singular  accuracy,  and   he  incorporated  it  with 

his  own.     It  appears  in  atlases  as  "  Colonel  Cooke's 

wagon  route.'* 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  1 59 

The  treaty  of  peace  and  boundaries  with  Mexico 
established  the  Gila  River  as  a  boundary  between 
the  two  countries.  A  new  administration,  in  which 
southern  interests  prevailed,  with  the  great  problem 
of  the  practicability  and  best  location  of  a  Pacific 
Railroad  under  investigation,  had  the  map  of  this 
wagon  route  before  them,  with  its  continuance  to 
the  west,  and  perceived  that  it  gave  exactly  the 
solution  of  its  unknown  element ;  that  a  southern 
route  would  avoid  both  the  Rocky  Mountains  and 
Sierra  Nevada,  with  their  snows,  and  would  meet 
no  obstacle  in  this  great  interval.  The  new  "  Gads- 
den Treaty"  with  Mexico  was  the  result ;  it  was 
signed  December  30th,  1853. 

Accordingly  it  isTound  that  the  new  boundary 
agreed  upon,  is  constituted  chiefly  of  arbitrary  right 
lines ;  the  most  southern  one  being  nearly  a  tangent 
of  the  southern  bend  of  the  road. 

This  most  costly  acquisition  of  parts  of  Sonora 
and  Chihuahua  became  an  important  part  of  the 
New  Territory,  which  received  the  name  of  Arizona. 

Before  we  arrived  here,  although  eight  miles 
above  the  Pimo  village,  there  were  many  Indians  on 
the  ground,  and  they  have  since  flocked  into  camp, 


l6o  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

some  mounted,  and  bring  small  sacks  of  corn,  flour, 
beans,  etc.  One  brought  me  letters  from  General 
Kearny  and  Major  Swords,  Quarter-master,  which 
mention  eleven  broken  down  mules  and  two  bales  of 
Indian  goods  left  for  me  with  the  Pimos.  Being 
informed  that  there  is  very  little  corn  at  the  villages, 
the  guides  were  directed  to  open  trade  here  ;  but 
they  reported  the  prices  such,  that  they  could  do 
nothing ;  and  I  have  forbidden  individuals  to  trade 
for  corn  or  wheat  until  further  orders. 

Many  of  these  Indians,  I  was  somewhat  surprised 
to  see,  are  nearly  naked  ;  they  manufacture  cotton 
blankets,  and  show  every  desire  to  be  clothed  ;  they 
are  good  looking  and  very  lively  ;  they  know  nothing 
of  the  value  of  money,  and  little  of  weights  and  meas- 
ures ;  their  language  is  a  pleasant  one.  A  few  speak 
the  Spanish,  and  I  was  surprised  to  see  one,  who 
spoke  it  well,  have  recourse  to  his  fingers  to  explain 
the  subtraction  of  five  mules,  dead,  from  the  eleven 
left  for  me. 

The  weather  is  like  early  October  in  New 
Mexico  ;  warm  days  and  cold  nights.  Cottonwoods, 
the  only  tree  here,  are  only  partially  yellowed  by 
frosts. 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  l6l 

I  have  conversed  with  the  principal  chief,  Juan 
Antonio,  and  he  and  another  have  supped  with  me. 
He  said  the  commander  of  Tucson  sent  to  demand 
the  mules  and  Indian  goods  left  with  him  :  that  he 
refused,  and  declared  he  would  resist  force  with  force. 
He  said  I  could  see  they  were  poor  and  naked,  but 
they  v/ere  content  to  live  here  by  hard  work  on  the 
spot  which  God  had  given  them;  and  not  like 
others  to  rob  or  steal ;  that  they  did  not  fear  us,  and 
run  like  the  Apaches,  because  they  made  it  a  rule 
to  injure  no  one  in  any  way,  and  therefore  never 
expected  any  one  to  injure  them.  In  fact  the 
Apaches  do  not  molest  them ;  but  it  is  owing  to 
experience  of  their  prowess. 

I  have  spoken  to  the  two  senior  captains  of  the 
battalion  on  the  subject  of  their  settling  near  here ;   ^. 
they    seem    to   look    upon    it   favorably.      Captain 
Hunt  asked  my  permission  to  talk  to  the  chief  on 
the  subject,  and  I  approved  of  it. 

The  Pimos  are  large  and  fine  looking,  seem  well 
fed,  ride  good  horses,  and  are  variously  clothed, 
though  many  have  only  the  centre  cloth  ;  the  men 
and  women  have  extraordinary  luxuriance  and 
length   of  hair.       With    clean     white   blankets   and 


l62  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

streaming  hair,  they  present  mounted  quite  a  fine 
figure.  But  innocence  and  cheerfulness  are  their 
most  distinctive  characteristics.  I  am  told  the 
Mexican  ofificers  used  every  persuasion,  and  prom- 
ise of  plunder,  to  excite  hostility  toward  us. 

A  few  bushels  of  sweet  corn  were  bought,  and 
issued  as  rations. 

December  22d,  the  march  was  resumed.  Several 
miles  short  of  the  village,  groups  of  men,  women  and 
girls  were  met,  coming  to  welcome  the  battalion ; 
"  These  last,  naked  generally  above  the  hips,  were  of 
every  age  and  pretty,  walking  often  by  twos  with 
encircling  arms ;  it  was  a  gladdening  sight,  so  much 
cheerfulness  and  happiness.  One  little  girl  particu- 
larly, by  a  fancied  resemblance,  interested  me  much  ; 
she  was  so  joyous  that  she  seemed  very  pretty  and 
innocent  ;  I  could  not  resist  tying  on  her  head,  as  a 
turban,  a  bright  new  silk  handkerchief,  which  I  hap- 
pened to  wear  to-day  ;  the  effect  was  beautiful  to 
see — a  picture  of  happiness  !" 

The  camp  is  full  of  the  Indians,  and  a  great 
many  have  some  eatables,  including  watermelons,  to 
trade  ;  and  they  seem  only  to  want  clothing  or 
cotton  cloth,  and  beads.       I    am  sorry  they  will  be 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  163 

disappointed.  It  reminds  me  of  a  crowded  New 
Orleans  market.  There  must  be  two  thousand  in 
camp,  all  enjoying  themselves  very  much ;  they 
stroll  about,  their  arms  around  each  other,  graceful 
and  admirable  in  form ;  their  language  certainly 
sounds  like  ours  ;  their  honesty  is  perfect  ! 

The  march  was  resumed  the  23d.  At  the  chiefs 
house  I  stopped  a  few  minutes;  I  told  him  I  had 
seen  many  tribes,  and  that  the  Pimos  were  the  hap- 
piest and  most  prosperous  I  had  ever  seen ;  that 
as  long  as  they  adhered  to  their  principles  of 
industry,  honesty,  peace  and  cheerful  content,  they 
would  continue  so  ;  that  while  they  never  injured 
their  neighbors,  their  true  safety  lay  in  uniting  to 
resist  vigorously  every  aggression ;  that  wishing 
them  well,  I  desired  to  add  to  their  comfort  and 
welfare. by  introducing  sheep  among  them,  by  giving 
him  for  the  ultimate  use  of  his  people,  three  ewes 
with  young,  which  was  the  best  I  could  do. 

I  received  to-day  a  letter  from  General  Kearny, 
written  at  Warner's  rancho,  California;  indicating 
that  his  arrival  was  very  important,  not  only  to  the 
welfare  of  California,  but  to  its  conquest. 

The   march    was  fifteen  miles.     The   whole  dis- 


164  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

tance  was  through  cultivated  grounds,  and  a  lux- 
uriantly rich  soil ;  there  is  a  very  large  zequia  well 
out  from  the  river;  the  plain  appeared  to  extend  in 
every  direction  fifteen  or  twenty  miles.  The  camp 
was  made  at  the  village  of  the  Maricopas  ;  notwith- 
standing a  different  language,  all  that  has  been  said 
of  the  Pimos  is  applicable  to  them.  They  live  in 
cordial  amity,  and  their  habits,  agriculture  and  man- 
ufactures  are  the  same,  as  also  their  religion,  which 
consists  in  a  simple  belief  in  a  great  over-ruling 
spirit.  This  seems  to  have  proved  a  foundation  for 
a  most  enviable  practical  morality.  Don  Jose 
Messio  is  their  governor,  and  their  population  is 
estimated  as  high  as  ten  thousand.  Their  dwellings 
are  dom.e  shaped  wicker  work,  thatched  with  straw 
or  cornstalks,  and  from  twenty  lo  fifty  feet  in  diam- 
eter; in  front  is  usually  a  large  arbor,  on  which  is 
piled  the  cotton  in  the  pod,  for  drying;  horses, 
mules,  oxen,  chickens  and  dogs  seem  to  be  the  only 
domestic  animals ;  they  have  axes,  hoes,  shovels, 
and  harrows.  The  soil  is  so  easily  pulverized,  as  to 
make  the  plow  unnecesssry. 

Busy    preparations   were    made    for   the    march 
about   noon   next   day,  to  encounter  a  Jornada   of 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  165 

above  forty  miles,  caused  by  a  great  bend  of  the 
river  with  mountains.  The  rations  were  found  to 
have  suffered  great  loss  or  wastage ;  of  the  beeves 
many  were  in  good  order,  and  three  of  the  oxen 
were  still  left.  A  few  exchanges  for  fatter  animals 
were  made,  the  pack  saddles  in  excess  of  twelve  to 
a  company,  were  disposed  of  Eight  mules,  aban- 
doned by  the  General,  had  been  picked  up  by  the 
Maricopas,  and  were  delivered  to  me. 

The  hospitality  and  generosity  of  these  allied 
tribes  is  noted ;  they  feed  and  assist  in  every  way 
travelers  who  are  in  need  ;  fortunately,  perhaps, 
these  have  been  few.  I  observed  them  parching 
grain  in  a  basket,  by  throwing  in  live  coals  and 
keeping  all  in  motion,  by  tossing  into  the  air. 

They  have  the  simplicity  of  nature,  and  none  of 
the  affected  reserve  and  dignity  characteristic  of 
other  Indians,  before  whites.  At  the  sound  of  a 
trumpet,  playing  of  a  violin,  the  killing  of  a  beef, 
they  rush  to  see  and  hear,  with  delight  or  astonish- 
ment strongly  exhibited. 

About   a  half  bushel   of  corn  was  procured   for 
each  animal,  and  three  days'  rations  of  corn  meal. 
Kb        December  2^th. — The  march  was  up  hill,  and  the 

I 


1 66  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

road  rather  sandy.  Half  an  hour  before  sundown, 
having  long  seen  Leroux's  smoke,  indicating  he  had 
found  grass,  I  pushed  on  to  examine  the  ground 
before  dark;  I  stationed  the  sentinels  so  that  the 
mules  could  be  turned  loose  in  the  mezquit,  with- 
out much  danger  of  their  escaping  to  seek  water. 
The  wagons  arrived  at  8  o'clock,  the  march  having 
been  eighteen  miles.  The  weather  has  been  quite 
warm  for  several  days,  but  fortunately,  as  there  is 
no  water,  it  was  cloudy  this  afternoon. 

Next  morning,  with  reveille  at  4.30  o'clock,  the 
battalion  could  not  be  got  in  motion  much  before  7. 
Some  rough,  difficult  ground  was  found  in  the  gap 
of  the  ridge,  which  consumed  much  time.  I  then  rode 
ahead  and  reached  the  river  about  sunset.  The 
guides  had  preceded  me,  and  following  their  path,  (a 
wrong  one)  I  passed  through  a  very  uneven  willow- 
grown  bottom  of  the  river  and  found  them  taking  their 
ease  at  the  water-edge,  with  some  yellow,  broken, 
years-old  grass  near,  which  had  been  their  attraction, 
as  "  the  best  the  country  afforded." 

I  selected  a  camp-ground,  and  marked  it  by  lit- 
tle fires,  made  by  some  packmen,  who  had  arrived. 
The  wagons  came  about  7.30. 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  1 6/ 

The  river  is  here  brackish ;  this  is  caused  by 
the  Saline  River,  a  larger  stream  than  the  Gila 
above,  which  flows  into  it  below  the  Maricopa 
village.  The  day's  march  had  been  twenty-three 
miles. 

Here  I  relieved  the  train  of  three  hundred  mule 
shoes,  and  the  nails,  by  making  a  "  cache  ;"  which  in 
far  western  language,  means  burying  valuables  in  the 
ground,  and  noting  by  some  permanent  object,  the 
exact  position. 

For  the  next  six  days  the  marches  averaged  ten 
miles.  It  was  an  unremitting  struggle  with  the  rude 
barrenness  of  a  rainless  wilderness.  Once,  the 
mule  drove  was  sent  four  miles  to  some  grass  which 
the  guides  had  reported,  but  which  was  found  to  be 
nearly  worthless  ;  Weaver  said,  it  sprang  up  from  a  ^ 
shower  which  fell  there  four  years  ago,  as  he  knew  ; 
(but  the  duration  of  a  cycle  of  these  phenomena  un- 
fortunately he  could  not  determine.)  The  animals 
existed  on  corn,  doled  by  the  pint,  with  now  and  • 
then  flag  grass,  and  willow  bushes  on  the  river  mar- 
gin and  sand-bars.  Many  miles  of  road  were  beaten, 
with  much  dust,  in  a  clay  formation,  where  mule 
tracks   were  six   inches  deep  ;  much   sand  was   en- 


l68  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

countered,  and  several  volcanic  bluffs,  which  re- 
quired much  labor  to  be  made  passable. 

The  second  of  these  days,  we  met  two  travelers, 
a  Chilean  and  a  California  refugee ;  they  gave  very 
confused  information  of  a  renewed  state  of  war  in 
California,  and  of  bodies  of  armed  men,  with  droves 
coming  to  Sonora.  They  had  passed  another  small 
party  a  few  days  before. 

The  same  day  Leroux  and  four  other  guides,  and 
Mr.  Hall  were  sent  forward,  with  dispatches;  and 
they  were  instructed  to  send  back  information  of 
any  thing  observed  on  the  route,  of  importance  to 
the  expedition.  They  were  also  ordered  to  bring 
fresh  mules  and  beeves  to  meet  the  battalion  as 
early  as  possible.  One  of  them  was  required  to  be 
at  Warner's  rancho,  when  the  battalion  should  ar- 
rive there,  about  "  January  2 1st." 

January  isf,  1847. — Cottonwood-bark  and  branch- 
es, and  mezquit,  were  added  yesterday  to  the  forage 
list.  Many  of  the  animals,  including  sheep,  have  ap- 
peared to  be  poisoned ;  a  few  have  died,  the  others 
appear  to  be  gradually  recovering. 

Whenever  there  is  a  bed  where  the  river  some- 
times flows,  we  find  more  or  less  grass ;  there  is  Httle 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  l6g 

doubt  that  only  want  of  rain  prevents  its  growth 
elsewhere  ;  but  the  bottoms  frequently  show  salty 
efflorescences ;  also  much  of  it  seems  of  mere  clay, 
which  I  think  will  not  produce  vegetation. 

We  found  in  this  night's  camp  a  party  described 
by  the  Mexicans  whom  we  met,  including  a  lady  who 
was  delivered  of  a  fine  child  two  days  ago  ;  and  she 
traveled  yesterday  ten  miles  on  horseback.  They 
report  the  wells  in  the  desert,  of  which  the  General 
wrote,  to  be  dried  up — probably  filled  partly  with 
sand. 

I  am  now  preparing  a  boat  of  the  two  ponton 
wagon-bodies  lashed  together,  end  to  end,  between 
two  dry  cottonwood  logs ;  in  this  I  shall  put  all  the 
baggage  I  c^n  risk.  The  river  is  rapid,  and  in  places 
three  or  four  feet  deep  ;  and  here  it  is  one  hundred  and 
fifty  yards  wide.  I  have  determined  to  send  Lieuten- 
ant Stoneman  in  charge  ;  he  professes  to  have  had 
similar  experience,  and  is  desirous  to  undertake  it. 

January  6th. — In  five  days  but  fifty-four  miles  of 
progress  has  been  made,  and  after  much  anxiety  the 
ponton  boat,  now  first  seen,  has  joined  the  battalion 
empty  !  The  experiment  proved  a  failure,  and  the 
stores  have  been  landed  in  several  places ;  but  three 
8 


I/O  THE  CONQUEST  OF 

or  four  inches  of  water  was  to  be  found  on  several 
rapids. 

Parties  with  pack  mules  have  been  out  all  the 
time  striving  to  meet  the  boat,  and  recover  at  least 
the  flour,  from  its  load  of  two  thousand  five  hun- 
dred pounds  of  provisions  and  corn.  And  these 
have  not  been  heard  from  ! 

It  was  found  necessary  for  our  wagons  to  vary 
^  much  from  General  Kearny's  trail ;  and  a  road  was 
cut,  in  places,  through  miles  of  dense  thickets,  etc. 

Next  day  only  seven  miles  could  be  made  ;  points 
of  stony  ridges  and  clay  gullies  required  much  work. 

The  mules  were  ordered  to  be  sent  across  the 
river  to  browse  in  the  young  willows,  flag-grass,  etc., 
and  it  turned  out  they  had  to  swim. 

January  Zth. — Sixteen  miles  took  the  battalion 
to  the  mouth  of  the  Gila. 

"A  vast  bottom;  the  country  about' the  two 
rivers  is  a  picture  of  desolation  ;  nothing  like  vege- 
/  tation  beyond  the  alluvium  of  the  two  rivers  ;  bleak 
mountains,  wild  looking  peaks,  stony  hills  and 
plains,  fill  the  view.  We  are  encamped  in  the 
midst  of  wild  hemp.  The  mules  are  in  mezquit 
thickets,  with  a  little  bunch  grass,  a  half  a  mile  off." 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  171 

January  gth. — We  marched  very  early.  The 
wagons  were  six  hours  reaching  the  crossing  of  the 
Colorado  ;  about  half  of  the  road  was  bad,  sand  or 
soft  clay  ;  the  pioneers  did  much  work.  The  mules 
are  weak,  and  their  failing,  or  flagging  to-day  in 
ten  miles,  is  very  unpromising  for  the  hundred  mile 
stretch,  dry  and  barren,  before  them.  There  is  no 
grass,  and  only  scanty  cottonwood  boughs  for  them 
to-night,  but  I  sent  out  forty  men  to  gather  the 
fruit,  called  tornia,  of  a  variety  of  the  mezquit.  They 
have  gathered  twelve  or  fifteen  bushels,  which  has 
been  spread  out  to  be  eaten  on  a  hard  part  of  the 
sand-bar. 

Francisco  was  sent  across  the  river  to  fire  the 
thickets  beyond — this  to  clear  the  way  for  the  pio- 
neer party  in  the  morning.  He  says  the  river  is  ' 
deeper  than  usual ;  it  is  wider  than  the  Missouri, 
and  of  the  same  muddy  color.  It  is  probable  that 
sugar-cane  may  be  cultivated  here. 

It  is  said  to  be  sixty  miles  to  tide  water,  and 
one  hundred  and  sixty  to  the  mouth  of  the  river. 

January  lotk. — The  mules  were  driven  two 
miles  to  grass  ;  some  of  the  pack  mule  party  arrived 
bringing  four  hundred   and  fifty  pounds  of  flour ;   a 


1/2  THE  CONQUEST  OF 

♦part  of  them  had  been  left,  hunting  for  another  de- 
posit. The  companies  were  ordered  to  cross  with 
their  baggage,  in  the  ponton  boat,  leaving  empty 
wagons,  teamsters  and  mules ;  the  ford  inclining 
down  the  river,  was  above  a  mile  long  and  in  two 
channels. 

The  battalion  continued  crossing  with  great  diffi- 
culty all  the  night,  the  water  in  some  places  almost 
too  deep  to  use  a  pole.  The  sheep  were  now  doing 
better  ;  lately  a  few  had  been  left  each  day,  and  only 
one  hundred  and  thirty  remained. 

'•^  January  iithl  9  /.  m. — With  my  mind  full  of 
anxiety,  I  force  myself  to  the  task  of  recording  the 
deeds  of  the  day.  I  am  in  camp  at  the  *  well,'  fif- 
teen miles  from  the  river  crossing  ;  I  resolved  that 
here  the  battalion  should  come  to-day,  and  for  these 
reasons  :  I  had  not  rations  or  time,  under  the  prob- 
able state  of  affairs  in  California,  to  spend  another 
day  beyond  the  river ;  there  was  nothing  for  the 
mules  on  this  side,  and  as  they  must  graze  on  that 
side,  and  must  pull  the  wagons  over  when  they 
came,  there  would  be  little  less  to  do  to-morrow 
than  to-day. 

The  first  difficulty  I   encountered  this  morning 


NEW    MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  1 73 

was,  that  instead  of  the  boat  being  in  readiness  to 
cross  the  sheep  at  five  o'clock,  as  ordered,  it  was 
not  over  until  quarter  past  seven  ;  then  I  had  all 
the  baggage  of  the  field  and  staff  taken  to  it  in 
ten  minutes,  and  crossed  myself,  taking  in  addition 
ten  of  the  men. 

I   was   then    told    by   the    adjutant,    that    many 
loads  of  company  baggage   had  still  to  be   brought 
over;  the  round  trips  had   averaged  an   hour  and  a 
half,  and  on  all   sides  their  idea  of  the  impossibility 
of  making  the  set   day's  journey  was  conveyed  to 
me.     I  ordered  that  the  rest  of  the  baggage  should 
come  over  in  the  wagons,  the  sheep  only  should  be 
ferried ;    the    remaining    baggage    was  then   loaded 
accordingly  ;   the  mules  had  been  driven  in  at  day- 
light, and   I  got   the  wagons  started  in  the  river  at 
eight    o'clock.      The    river    runs   swiftly   and    is   at  ^ 
least   four  feet   deep.     About  nine,  I   got  to   where 
the    battalion    had     encamped.       Here     in     willow 
bushes,  which  concealed   everything,  I   found  all   in 
confusion;  tents  standing,  every  man  doing  his  own 
pleasure,    some    eating,    some    cooking.      Time  was 
flying  fast.      I  then   saw  a  wagon,  the  only  one  of 
Company  C,  standing  half  way  across,   with  mules 


174  THE  CONQUEST   OF 

taken  out  on  a  sand  bar,  and  nothing  apparently 
doing.  Half  an  hour  later,  its  commander  reported 
to  me  that  they  were  stuck,  etc.,  and  could  not  get 
out.  I  told  him  they  were  not  trying,  that  they 
had  the  same  opportunities  as  the  others,  (the  boat 
had  been  used  turn  about,)  that  other  wagons  had 
got  over  easily,  and  men  in  them  against  positive 
orders ;  that  I  should  march  immediately,  and 
would  not  help  him. 

Meanwhile  the  boat  came,  half  loaded  with  men 
and  baggage,  and  with  less  than  a  third  of  the  sheep, 
and  instantly  the  crew  disappeared.  I  had  almost 
to  force,  personally,  men  into  the  boat  to  take  it 
back.  They  then  spent  half  an  hour  in  water  deeper 
than  they  could  reach  with  their  ten  foot  poles.  So 
bad  seemed  the  chance  of  getting  over  more  than  an- 
other load,  that  I  sent  word  to  Lieutenant  Smith  to 
bring  over  the  boat  full  of  the  best  sheep,  and  the 
others  might  be  abandoned  if  they  could  not  swim. 
Quite  a  number  of  mules  had  fallen  and  been 
drowned ;  the  river  had  an  inch  of  ice,  where  there 
was  no  current.  Then  I  forced  off  the  battalion,  at 
lO  o'clock,  to  march  fifteen  miles  of  bad  road,  leaving 
a  company  in  the  river,  and  two-thirds  of  the  sheep 


NEW  MEXICO  AND   CALIFORNIA.  1 75 

on  the  other  side.  I  knew  these  last  were  in  good 
hands,  and  that  the  company  would  be  excited  to 
do  their  best.  The  first  mile  was  ascending,  and 
through  deep  sand ;  the  mules  were  torpid  and 
sullen.  The  prospect  of  getting  to  this  camp  was 
almost  desperate.  I  gave  orders  that  private  mules 
should  be  put  to  the  wagons  ;  then,  if  necessary,  to 
leave  a  wagon  on  the  road.  Two  were  thus  left.  I 
rode  on  and  stopped  all  pack  and  loose  animals  at 
a  patch  of  mezquit,  the  tornia  or  fruit  of  which  had 
fallen  to  the  ground,  until  all  the  wagons  had  passed. 
The  fire  of  the  pioneer  party  raged  around  us. 
I  sent  twenty  men  on,  to  collect  mezquit  beans  or 
tornia,  believing  the  battalion  would  arrive  after 
dark  ;  I  knew  there  was  no  grassJ  I  arrived  at  four 
o'clock,  and  was  met  by  a  man  who  told  me  *  there 
was  not  a  drop  of  water.*  The  worse  prospect  for 
sixty  miles  ahead,  instantly  rose  to  frighten  me  for 
the  three  hundred  and  sixty  nearly  worn  out  foot- 
men, who  confide  all  to  me. ) 

I  found  the  party  digging  most  energetically,  not 
only  at  the  old  well,  but  they  had  commenced  an- 
other. Soon,  in  the  first,  they  struck  damp  sand, 
and  so  on,  to  water.      When  the  quicksands  were 


176  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

struck,  they  caved  in  so  as  to  render  it  impossible  to 
get  water  more  than  two  or  three  inches  deep. 
Many  expedients  were  discussed  ;  it  was  considered 
that  our  only  hope  was  in  a  wash-tub  belonging  to 
the  wife  of  a  captain.  The  new  well  progressed 
slowly  through  hard  clay.  The  first  wagon  came  at 
sunset;  at  dusk  the  tub  arrived.  Lieutenant  Oman 
reported  to  me,  to  my  astonishment,  that  they  were 
unwilling  to  give  up  that  valuable  article  ! — upon 
which  our  lives  seemed  to  depend.  I  had  it  taken. 
The  well  then  seemed  for  some  time  to  work  promis- 
ingly. Then  it  failed.  I  had  the  tub  taken  up,  and 
the  bottom,  which  had  been  bored,  knocked  out ;  then 
it  worked  better.  It  was  late  however  and  anxious 
expectants  thronged  the  hole.  I  was  seated  in  my 
tent,  consulting  with  the  guides,  when  Lieutenant 
Oman  reported  that  the  well  had  failed  worse  than 
ever. 

My  doubts  seemed  converted  to  the  certainty  of 
evil  and  disaster.  I  then  learned  that  the  company 
I  had  left  were  camped  six  miles  back ;  their  team 
having  given  out.  ;' 

I  sent  for  Weaver  to  inquire  of  the  route,  long 
thought   ofy   to   follow  the  river  some    sixty   miles 


NEW   MEXICO  AND   CALIFORNIA.  1 77 

down ;  he  so  represented  the  country  as  to  give 
scarce  a  hope  of  its  practicability  under  our  circum- 
stances. Once  more  I  went  to  the  well,  and 
ordered  a  fresh  detail  to  be  put  on  the  new  one ; 
they  had  found  in  ten  feet  only  mud,  and  its  upper 
surface  was  two  feet  lower  than  the  old  one,  which 
was  ten  feet  deep.  I  then  with  my  mind  full  of 
trouble,  sat  down  to  write.  In  half  an  hour,  Lieut. 
O.  came  and  reported  that  in  the  new  well,  he  had 
^  come  to  water  that  could  be  dipped  with  a  camp 
kettle.'  It  was  like  a  great  light  bursting  upon 
darkness  and  gloom. 

I  am  writing  with  effort  to  suppress  feeling. 
This  well  failing,  what  had  I  to  expect  of  the  next, 
which  I  knew  to  be  dry  now,  and  not,  like  this, 
deriving  its  supply  from  a  great  river,  and  to  be 
only  reached  by  going  without  water  for  a  night  ^ 
and  two  days,  in  addition,  to  this  hard  day ;  and  the 
next  hope  of  water  almost  three  of  our  average 
marches  still  further  on  ;  and  behind,  starvation  and 
failure.  ' 

(  But   my  faith   had   not   failed,   for,  at  the  worst, 
I   gave  orders  for  a  beef  to  be  slaughtered   at  day- 
light,  to  be   cooked    before  ten  o'clock,  and   other 
8* 


1/8  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

preparations  for  the  night  following  without  water. 
The  sheep  were  all  got  over. 

Many  mules  gave  out  to-day,  and  at  best  the 
prospect  is  bad  ;  not  only  want  of  water,  but  so 
very  little  for  the  poor  animals  to  eat.  I  had 
five  bushels  of  tornia  brought  here  by  each  com- 
pany. 

It  is  half  past  ten  o'clock  at  night ;  I  have 
ordered  Lieut.  O.  with  twelve  picked  men  to  go 
through  to-morrow  to  the  Alamo  Mocho,  to  dig  and 
prepare  for  us. 

;  Eighteen  hours  of  unceasing  labor  has  been  my 
lot  to-day,  with  anxiety  enough  to  turn  one  grey. 
Our  safety  seems  the  accident  of  a  pocket  of  clay — 
which  served  as  a  wall — reaching  below  the  level  of 
quicksand,  which  probably  extends  from  the  bed  of 
the  river.'*j 

In  the  morning  it  took  from  9  to  11.30  o'clock, 
to  water  the  mules  of  three  companies ;  then  the 
march  began,  leaving  the  others  to  follow,  when 
their  mules  were  well  watered.  A  guide  had 
stopped  at  some  scant  straw  colored  "  grass,"  and 
camp  was  made  about  sundown.  It  was  a  wilder- 
ness of  sand,  mixed  with  gravel  and  small  stones  ; 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  1 79 

the  only  vegetable   production   a  slim   bush,  which 
the  New  Mexicans  call  "  stinking  wood." 

The  13th,  the  march  was  commenced  at  sunrise  ; 
it  was  a  hot  day,  and  some  bad  sand  was  encoun- 
tered. It  was  thirteen  miles  to  the  wells,  and  the 
battalion  arrived  at  two  o'clock.  The  advance 
party  had  improved  an  old  well,  and  dug  another  ; 
there  was  only  mezquit  without  fruit.  "  Now  after 
eight  hours,  the  watering  is  still  going  on  ;  the  poor  i- 
animals  after  drinking  the  impure  warm  water,  seem 
unsatisfied,  and  have  to  be  driven  away  to  the 
bushes  on  which  to  browse." 

Next  day  signal  smokes  were  frequently  seen  ; 
believed  to  be  made  by  Indians ;  a  small  party 
would  have  seen  enough  of  them.  It  was  about 
twenty-five  miles  to  another  old  well,  the  Pojso 
Hondo ;  and  Lieutenant  Stoneman  with  twenty-five 
men  and  Weaver  were  sent  early  in  the  morning 
to  go  through  and  prepare  for  the  battalion. 

The  corporal  and  two  men,  who  against  instruc- 
tions, remained  seeking  more  flour,  left  by  the  boat, 
had  not  yet  come  up  ;  and  two  more  men  were  miss- 
ing since  leaving  the  Colorado. 
.  "  I   had   lately  a  conversation    with  old  Weaver, 


l8o  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

which  was  not  official.  He  said,  '  the  Tontos  hve 
in  that  range  over  there  ;  I  never  see  them  with 
more  than  one  or  two  lodges  together ;  they  are  a 
band  of  the  Coyoteros,  and  are  called  fools  for  their 
ignorance.  When  I  went  over,  once,  from  the  Pimos 
to  the  Cochanos  and  Mochabas,  I  met  some  lodges 
and  had  a  fuss  with  them.' — *  What  sort  ?' — '  Oh,  we 
killed  two  or  three  and  burnt  their  lodges,  and  took 
all  the  women  and  children  and  sold  them.'  '  What !  * 
*  Yes,  I  have  often  caught  the  women  and  children 
of  the  Dicrcrer  Indians  and  sold  them  in  New  Mexico 
and  Sonora.  They  bring  a  hundred  dollars.  Mr.  — , 
of  Tucson  told  me  a  squaw  I  sold  him,  ran  off,  and 
was  found  dead,  famished  for  water  I  s'pose,  going 
over  from  the  Pimos  to  the  Colorado.'  *  What,  have 
you  no  feeling  for  her  death,  trying  to  return  to  her 
father  and  mother  you  tore  her  from  ? '  'I  killed 
her  father  and  mother,  as  hke  as  not;  they  stole  all 
our  traps ;  as  fast  as  we  could  stick  a  trap  in  the 
river,  they'd  come  and  steal  it,  and  shoot  arrows  into 
our  horses  ;  they  thought  we  would  leave  them  for 
them  to  eat,  but  we  built  a  big  fire  and  burnt  them 
up."' 

This  Alamo  Mocho  (broken  cottonwood)  well  is 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  l8l 

near  the  foot  of  a  very  steep  bank,  perhaps  eighty 
feet  down  to  a  remarkable  depression  of  great  ex- 
tent and  as  wide  as  a  great  river ;  and  most  Hkely  it 
is  the  bed  of  one,  or  of  a  dried  up  creek  of  the  Gulf. 
The  flat  bottom,  is  grown  up  with  mezquit.  (Two  or 
three  years  after  this  date,  a  stream  suddenly  broke 
through,  or  made  its  appearance,  much  to  the  joy  of 
some  travelers  ;  it  is  called  New  River.) 

January  \/\.th. — The  march  began  at  ii  A.  M  :  de- 
tails had  been  at  work  the  whole  night,  and  up  to 
that  hour,  drawing  the  scant  water  for  mules  and 
cattle;  and  it  was  found  necessary  to  leave  two 
wagons. 

Some  bad  sand  was  encountered  this  day;  some- 
times only  a  little,  blown  from  sand  hills,  which 
were  skirted  ;  then  a  great  flat  of  baked  clay,  which 
had  evidently  been  covered  by  water,  on  which  the 
animals  scarcely  left  a  track.  The  battalion  observed 
the  tracks  of  hundreds  of  mules  and  horses ;  herds 
believed  to  have  been  driven  within  a  few  months  to 
Sonora.  Sea  shells,  and  salt,  found  on  this  great 
plain,  indicate  that  it  was  once  the  bottom  of  the 
Gulf. 

Having  marched  seventeen  miles,  the  battalion 


1 82  THE  CONQUEST  OF 

came  at  dark  to  a  mezquit  thicket,  and  camped 
There  was  no  water. 

Marching  at  sunrise,  next  day,  seven  miles  over 
the  flat  broken  plain,  brought  them  to  the  Pozo 
Hondo.  "  The  distant  mountains  to  our  left  and 
front  were  mingled  with  clouds  ;  the  rising  sun  paint- 
ed all  with  bright  and  varied  hues,  and  then  we  saw 
the  distinct  colors  of  a  rainbow.  .  .  which  only 
once  before  have  we  seen,  in  the  other  desert  of 
Tucson." 

Here  were  met  fresh  mules  and  some  beeves,  sent 
under  charge  of  one  guide ;  twenty-two  of  fifty-seven 
mules  had  been  lost.  There  was  great  disappointment 
in  the  well ;  the  water  was  issued  by  the  gill  ;  it  was 
necessary  to  go  on  ;  a  fat  beef  was  killed  and  cooked  ; 
and  the  work  of  catching  with  the  lazo,  and  harness- 
ing the  new  mules,  many  of  which  were  as  wild  as 
deer,  and  had  to  be  thrown  down,  consumed  the 
whole  delay  of  near  three  hours ;  one  mule,  after 
being  harnessed,  broke  away  from  three  stout  men, 
and  ran  off  at  great  speed  into  the  desert,  unfol- 
lowed. 

Here  was  heard  the  distressing  news  of  a  dis- 
astrous   engagement    of    General    Kearny ;    of  his 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  1 83 

wounds,  and  of  the  death  of  valued  and  loved  offi- 
cers, and  many  other  dragoons.  Captains  Johnston 
and  Moore  and  Lieutenant  Hammond  had  fallen. 

Eleven  more  miles  were  marched,  and  halt  was 
then  made  until  2  o'clock  A.  M.  ;  the  mules  were 
kept  tied,  and  some  bunch  grass  was  cut  and  fed  to 
them. 

"  Besides  being  nearly  starved,  our  mules  have 
had  no  water  since  yesterday  morning ;  the  men 
too,  are  without  it ;  it  is  necessary  to  go  on  in  the 
cold  night,  speedily  to  end  this  terrible  state  of 
things  ;  the  ten  miles  of  much  dreaded  sand  is  before 
us. 

At  2  A.  M.,  January  i6th  the  march  was  resumed. 

*'  I  had  a  large  advance  guard  and  all  the  guides 
on  duty,  telling  Weaver  not  to  lose  sight  of  the 
leading  wagon  ;  it  was  starlight.  Four  miles  from 
our  bivouac  I  stopped  until  all  had  passed,  and  found 
that  even  then  a  team  or  two  had  apparently  given 
out.  I  gave  various  orders  of  relief,  transferred 
mules,  etc. ;  toward  daylight  it  was  exceedingly 
cold,  too  much  so  to  ride ;  then  the  guides  got  lost, 
and,  by  their  not  obeying  strictly  my  orders,  the 
wagons  lost  at   least   a   mile ;  here    the  new   teams 


J  84  THE  CONQUEST  OF 

seemed  almost  exhausted  ;  two  companies  had  lost 
harness  and  I  managed  to  find  some  other  for  them. 
I  found  the  road  was  about  to  prove  much  longer 
than  I  had  been  informed.  About  lo  o'clock  in  the 
morning  as  usual,  it  became  of  summer  heat.  Fi- 
nally, near  eleven,  I  reached,  with  the  foremost 
wagon,  the  first  water  of  the  Cariza ; — a  clear  run- 
ning stream  gladdened  the  eyes,  after  the  anxious 
dependence  on  muddy  wells  for  five  or  six  days. 
One  company,  which  met  with  an  accident,,  was  so 
far  delayed  into  the  heat  of  the  day,  that  the 
mules  entirely  failed  several  miles  off;  a  new  team 
had  to  be  sent,  and  the  wagon  came  up  at  sunset. 
I  found  the  march  to  be  nineteen  miles ;  thus  with- 
out water  for  near  three  days,  (for  the  working  ani- 
mals) and  camping  two  nights,  in  succession,  without 
V  water,  the  battalion  made  in  forty-eight  hours,  four 
marches,  of  eighteen,  eight,  eleven  and  nineteen  miles, 
suffering  from  frost,  and  from  summer  heat.  Con- 
sidering this,  it  seems  certain  that  the  fifty-six  miles 
from  Alamo  Mocho,  could  have  been  made  without 
great  loss  in  no  other  way  ; — the  divisions  of  time  for 
rest,  the  stop  only  for  a  drink  and  refreshment  of  meat 
in  the  heat  of  the  day,  and  the  cold  night  marches. 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  1 85 

We  contented  ourselves  to-day,  with  a  breakfast 
at  I  o'clock  A.  M.  The  sheep,  I  fear,  are  many  miles 
back.  A  ration  of  two  and  a  half  pounds  of  fat  beef 
was  issued  this  evening. 

The  grass  here  is  dry  and  salty.  The  loss  of 
mules  appears  to  be  sixteen  in  the  two  days ;  our 
great  help  has  been  twenty-two  of  the  General's  old 
mules,  which  were  watered  yesterday,  '  to  clean  out 
the  well '  before  my  arrival,  (there  was  a  wolfs  car- 
cass in  it ;)  but  little  more  water  rose  after  that.  A 
great  many  of  my  men  are  wholly  without  shoes, 
and  use  every  expedient,  such  as  rawhide  moccasins 
and  sandals,  and  even  wrapping  their  feet  in  pieces 
of  woolen  and  cotton  cloth." 

January  lyth. — Owing  to  stray  mules,  the  march 
was  late;  about  mid-day  the  battalion  reached  Palm 
Spring,  where  there  is  a  clump  of  twenty  or  thirty 
palm  trees ;  but  there  being  no  grass,  it  was  neces- 
sary to  go  on,  and  the  march  was  fifteen  miles  to  a 
place  called  Bajiocito,  a  wet  swampy  valley,  with 
willow  bushes,  bad  rank  grass  and  no  fuel  ;  the  road 
was  up  the  dry  bed  of  a  mountain  torrent,  between 
mountains,  ash-colored  and  utterly  barren.  "  That 
this  fifteen  miles  of  very  bad  road  was  accomplished 


l86  TH^  CONQUEST  OF 

under  the  circumstances,  by  mules  or  men,  is  extra- 
ordinary. The  men  arrived  here  completely  worn 
down  ;  they  staggered  as  they  marched,  as  they 
did  yesterday.  The  sheep  are  not  up,  but  near.  It 
is  astonishing  to  consider  what  the  wild  young 
mules  performed  and  endured  ;  driven  thirty  miles 
to  meet  me,  then  next  day,  in  its  heat,  to  go 
through  the  terrible  process  of  being  broken  to  har- 
ness— two  hours  of  the  most  violent  struggles  pos- 
sible ;  then  to  draw  wagons  two  marches,  and  thus 
without  food,  to  march  the  third  day  without 
water." 

January  \%th, — Some  of  the  men  did  not  find 
strength  to  reach  camp  before  da34ight  this  morning. 
The  sheep  did  not  come  up  until  after  mid-day  ;  there 
are  eighty-eight  left.  I  went  through  the  compa- 
Vnies  this  morning ;  they  were  eating  their  last  four 
ounces  of  flour;  of  sugar  and  coffee,  there  has  been 
none  for  some  weeks.  I  have  remaining  only  five 
public  wagons,  there  are  three,  private  property. 

The  Indian  Alcalde  of  San  Phillipi,  brought  me 
a  letter,  but  three  days  old,  from  Commander  Mont- 
gomery of  the  Portsm.outh,  and  governor  of  San 
Diego  ;  he  writes  that  my  party  arrived  on  the  14th 


NEW   MEXICO  AND   CALIFORNIA.  18/ 

instant,  welcomes  my  approach,  promises  refresh- 
ment, etc.,  for  the  battalion. 

The  Alcalde,  and  his  interpreter,  also  a  San 
Phillipian  Indian,  are  fine  looking  men,  nearly  naked, 
hair  long,  and  faces  painted  in  red  spots  ;  their  lan- 
guage seems  a  bad  one,  somewhat  resembling  that 
of  the  Apaches. 

The  men,  who  this  morning  were  prostrate,  worn 
out,  hungry,  heartless,  have  recovered  their  spirits 
to-night,  and  are  singing  and  playing  the  fiddle. 

With  confused  information  of  hostilities,  the 
march  was  resumed  the  19th,  with  more  military 
order,  and  with  baggage  in  the  rear.  The  guides 
had  reported  a  good  firm  road,  with  a  rather  narrow 
canon,  etc.  After  marching  three  or  four  miles,  up 
hill,  I  came  to  advance  guard  pioneers  and  guides, 
at  a  standstill.  Weaver  coolly  remarked,  "  I  believe 
we  are  penned  up  ;  "  there  was  a  rugged  ridge  in 
front,  some  two  hundred  feet  high ;  I  ordered  him 
to  find  a  crossing,  or  I  should  send  a  company  wh.o 
would  soon  do  it.  With  much  active  work,  I  got 
the  wagons  over  in  about  an  hour  and  a  half.  Then 
up  the  dry  bed  of  a  mountain  stream,  I  came  to  the 
caiion  and  found  it  much  worse  than  I  had  been  led 


1 88  THE   CONQUEST  OF 

to  expect ;  there  were  many  rocks  to  surmount,  but 
the  worst  was  the  narrow  pass.  Setting  the  exam- 
ple myself,  there  was  much  work  done  on  it  before 
the  wagons  came  ;  the  rock  was  hewn  with  axes 
to  increase  the  opening.  I  thought  it  wide  enough, 
and  going  on,  found  a  hill  to  be  ascended,  to  avoid 
a  still  narrower  pass,  with  a  great  rock  to  be  broken, 
before  it  could  be  crossed.  But  when  a  trial  was 
made,  at  the  first  pass,  it  was  found  too  narrow  by  a 
foot  of  solid  rock.  More  work  was  done,  and  sev- 
eral trials  made.  The  sun  was  now  only  an  hour 
high,  and  it  was  about  seven  miles  to  the  first 
water.  I  had  a  wagon  taken  to  pieces,  and  carried 
through. 

Meanwhile,  we  still  hewed  and  hammered  at  the 
mountain  side  ;  but  the  best  road  tools  had  been 
lost  in  the  boat  experiment.  The  next  wagon  body 
was  lifted  through,  and  then  the  running  gear,  by 
lifting  one  side ;  then  I  rode  on  again,  and  saw  a 
wagon  up  the  very  steep  hill,  and  down  again  to  the 
cafion.  The  work  on  the  pass  was  perseveringly 
continued,  and  the  last  two  wagons  were  pulled 
through  by  the  mules,  with  loads  undisturbed. 

We    had    ascended    the    main    ridge    by   sunset, 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  1 89 

where  a  guide  met  me,  and  pointed  to  another  a 
mile  or  two  in  front,  and  said  it  was  very  bad,  and 
could  only  be  passed  by  daylight.  As  there  was 
unusually  good  grass,  I  camped ;  but  there  had 
been  no  provision  made  for  their  unexpected  pri- 
vation of  water. 

After  a  very  cold  night,  with  very  little  fuel,  the 
march  was  next  morning  continued  before  sunrise  ; 
the  wagons  were  got  over  the  second  ridge,  by  the 
help  of  ropes,  A  good  descending  road  for  seven 
miles  then  led  to  San  Phillippi,  which  was  found 
to  be  a  small  deserted  Indian  village.  The  mules 
were  grazed,  and  two  beeves  killed  for  breakfast ; 
there  was  no  other  food.  In  the  afternoon  the  bat- 
talion ascended  the  pass  of  another  low  mountain 
seven  miles,  and  had  water,  but  very  scant  grass  for 
a  camp.  The  battalion  during  the  march  was  exer- 
cised in  a  prairie,  waiting  for  the  wagons  to  come  up. 

The  guide  Charboneaux  returned  that  day  ;  the 
Governor  of  San  Diego  detaining  Leroux  and  Mr. 
Hall,  the  road  being  very  unsafe  from  hostile  Cali- 
fornians. 

The  battalion  was  under  orders  to  march  to  San 
Diego,  and  communication    with  General    Kearny 


IQO  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

was  now  cut  off.  By  the  best  information,  the  en- 
emy were  concentrated  at  Los  Angeles.  The  Gen- 
eral was  marching  on  it  from  the  south,  and  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Fremont  approaching  from  the  north  ; 
so  that  a  direct  march  on  Los  Angeles  from  the 
east  was  evidently  the  proper  course  ;  and  espe- 
cially so,  as  Captain  Montgomery  had  written,  Jan- 
uary 15th,  that  it  was  generally  believed  that  parties 
of  Californians,  headed  by  leaders  who  had  broken 
their  paroles,  would  endeavor  to  effect  a  retreat  to 
Sonora,  rather  than  submit  to  our  arms. 

Also,  the  district  to  be  thus  passed  through  was 
that  of  the  most  influential  and  most  hostile  natives, 
and  of  numerous  Indians,  many  of  whom  were  said 
to  be  employed,  or  forced  into  their  ranks  by  the 
enemy. 

It  was  determined  to  take  the  direct  road  to  Los 
Angeles  ;  and  the  guides  were  sent  to  Warner's,  to 
collect  mules,  etc. 

One  of  the  five  missing  adventurers  after  the 
lost  flour,  came  up  to  that  camp  reporting  all  safe, 
but  broken  down  at  Bajiocito,  with  above  four  hun- 
dred pounds  of  flour.  Assistance  was  sent  to  them. 
A  captain  reported  that  the  two  men  who  stopped 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  I9I 

at  the  river  and  had  joined  the  corporal,  probably- 
misunderstood  him,  as  giving  them  permission. 
Such  things  happen  among  volunteers. 

"  January  2ist. — A  cold  cloudy  morning,  threat- 
ening snow.  I  found  the  path  over  the  low  moun- 
tain pass  smooth  and  not  difficult ;  the  path,  now  a 
road,  winds  amid  a  forest  of  large  evergreen  oaks. 
Cold  as  it  was,  the  fresh  deep  green  grass  was 
springing  up  every  where  from  the  ground.  This 
mountain  divides  the  waters  of  the  Colorado  and  the 
Gulf  from  those  which  run  west  to  the  ocean.  The 
highest  ridges  are  crowned  with  pine,  and  we  saw 
som.e  snow  among  them.  I  descended  rapidly  to 
the  lower  slopes,  and  there  drilled  my  battalion 
again,  while  the  baggage  closed  up." 

The  battalion  reached  the  rancho  early,  and 
camped. 

Mr.  Warner's  information,  at  this  time,  placed 
the  insurgents  at  or  near  Los  Angeles,  hard  pressed 
and  likely  to  be  encountered  on  the  road,  passing 
here,  to  Sonora.  It  was  found  necessary  to  rest  the 
22d.  (It  is  remarkable  that  the  battalion  arrived  at 
Warner's  the  day  that  the  guides  were  instructed, 
December    28th,   to  meet  it  there.)     At   this  time 


192  THE  CONQUEST   OF 

was  commenced  the  issue  of  four  pounds  of  fresh 
meat  a  day,  that  being  the  only  food. 

"  January  22d. — A  fine  April  morning,  for  Mis- 
souri or  Virginia ;  a  frost  however,  and  a  cold  night. 
This  is  a  beautiful  little  valley,  shut  in  by  moun- 
tains or  high  hills  on  every  side,  the  country  is  ver- 
dant, some  large  cottonwoods  are  leafless,  but  the 
mistletoe  has  lent  them  a  green  drapery. 

"The  name,  Agua  Caliente,  comes  from  a  bold 
stream,  issuing  from  rock  fissures  at  the  tempera- 
ture of  170^  ;  it  now  sends  up  little  clouds  of  steam 
for  half  a  mile  below.  The  valley,  a  mile  long,  is 
elliptical,  and  its  green  smooth  surface  really  oval ; 
at  its  centre  stands  a  wonderful  evergreen  oak,  its 
boughs  reaching  a  circle,  five  feet  above  the  ground, 
and  ninety  feet  in  diameter ;  the  hot  stream  runs 
round  one  side,  a  cold  one  around  the  other.  The 
Indians,  of  cold  nights,  select  spots  below  the  spring, 
of  agreeable  temperature  to  sleep  lying  in  the 
stream,  with  the  sod  bank  for  a  pillow." 

There  were  a  number  of  San  Luis  Indians  at  War- 
ner's ;  they  had  brought  here  a  short  time  before, 
and  killed  ten  or  eleven  Californians  ;  but  they  had 
lost    thirty-eight    of    their   tribe    in  the    Temecala 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  1 93 

valley,  killed  in  an  ambush  by  Californians,  and 
Indians  of  another  tribe.  They  sought  now  to  ac- 
company the  battalion  to  bury  the  bodies.  This  was 
conceded,  and  Antonio,  a  chief,  was  engaged,  with 
ten  of  his  men  mounted,  to  serve  as  scouts  and 
guides,  and  to  collect  and  drive  cattle  for  the  sub- 
sistence of  the  battalion. 

On  the  23d  of  January,  before  marching,  a  talk 
was  held  with  Baupista,  an  important  chief  of  Co- 
huillos,  a  tribe  of  some  two  thousand  Indians  ;  and  it 
was  a  rather  independent  band  of  them,  that,  with 
the  Californians,  defeated  the  San  Luis  tribe.  He 
was  warmly  counseled  as  to  the  folly  of  taking  any 
part  against  Americans,  who  would  soon  and  forever 
govern  the  country,  etc.,  etc. 

About  eighteen  miles  were  marched  ;  the  hills 
were  found  very  steep  for  a  wagon  road,  and  it 
rained  several  hours  in  the  afternoon.  The  cor- 
poral and  party  came  up  with  the  flour,  at  this  camp. 
He  said  he  '^  did  not  dare  to  come  up  without  it !  " 

The  rain  continued  twenty-four  hours;  the  bat- 
talion had  fallen  upon  the  rainy  season.  All  the 
tents  were  blown  down  in  the  night ;  the  ill-clad 
battalion  were  drenched,  and  suffered  much.  A 
9 


194  THE  CONQUEST   OF 

number  of  mules  died,  and  many  strayed,  and  An- 
tonio was  found  very  useful  in  recovering  them.  In 
the  afternoon,  a  warmer  and  less  exposed  camp  was 
found,  only  three  or  four  miles  on. 

The  morning  of  January  25th  was  very  bright  ; 
the  battalion  marched  over  the  hills  twelve  miles 
into  the  Temecala  valley.  The  Indians  there  col- 
lected before  its  arrival,  to  bury  their  dead,  showed 
in  the  distance  such  military  array  as  to  be  mis- 
taken for  California  enemies,  and  preparations  for 
a  combat  were  made  before  the  truth  was  made 
known. 

There  an  official  dispatch  was  received,  announ- 
cing General  Kearny's  return  to  San  Diego,  and 
showing  that  the  battalion  was  expected  there,  as 
originally  ordered. 

Accordingly,  a  cross  road  presenting  itself,  next 
morning  the  march  was  directed  toward  the  San  Die- 
go mission.  The  San  Luis,  a  little  river  generally 
dry,  was  found  full  of  quicksand,  and  difficult  to 
pass.  After  a  seven  hours*  march,  camp  was  estab- 
lished in  its  beautiful  valley,  near  a  rancho.  It  was 
now  found  necessary  to  issue  five  pounds  of  beef  as 
a  ration. 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  I95 

The  27th  the  road  passed  several  ranches,  found 
deserted  ;  then  near  the  important  old  mission  of  San 
Luis  Rey.  The  road  wound  through  smooth  green 
valleys,  and  over  very  lofty  hills,  equally  smooth  and 
green.  From  the  top  of  one  of  these  hills,  was 
caught  the  first  and  a  magnificent  view  of  the  great 
ocean  ;  and  by  rare  chance  perhaps,  it  was  so  calm 
that  it  shone  as  a  mirror.'^ 

The  day's  march  was  sixteen  miles.  The  pre- 
vious night  the  herd  of  cattle  had  mostly  escaped, 
and  orders  were  given  for  its  increase  while  march- 
ing ;  in  consequence,  the  zealous  irregulars  drove  to 
this  camp  several  hundred. 

*  The  charming  and  startling  effect,  under  our  circumstances,  of 
this  first  view  of  the  ocean  could  not  be  expressed  ;  but  in  an  old 
diary, — once  sunk  and  lost  in  a  river — I  find  what  follows  : 

"  I  caught  my  fii-st  sight  of  the  ocean,  as  smooth  as  a  mirror,  and 
reflecting  the  full  blaze  of  the  declining  sun  ;  from  these  sparkling 
green  hill-tops  it  seemed  that  the  lower  world  had  turned  to  impal- 
pable dazzling  light,  while  by  contrast,  the  clear  sky  looked  dim  ! 

**  We  rode  on  into  a  valley  which  was  near,  but  out  of  view  of  the 
sea  ;  its  smooth  sod  was  in  sunlight  and  shade  ;  a  gentle  brook 
wound  through  it ;  the  joyous  lark,  the  gay  blackbird,  the  musi- 
cal bluebird,  even  the  household  wren,  warbled  together  the  even- 
ing song  ;  it  seemed  a  sweet  domestic  scene  which  must  have  touched 
the  hearts  of  my  rude,  far  wanderers.  But  coming  to  us  so  sud- 
denly, there  was  a  marvellous  accompaniment  ; — the  fitful  roar  of 
tide  and  surf  upon  a  rock-bound  shore  ;  while  now  and  then  some 
great  roller  burst  upon  the  rocks  with  a  booming  thunder.  It  was 
not  a  discord  !" 


196  THE  CONQUEST   OF 

That  night  there  was  so  much  dew  that  the 
tents  seemed  wet  by  a  rain ;  there  was  also  some 
little  frost. 

Next  day  a  march  of  seven  and  a  half  hours  was 
made  to  San  Diegetto. 

January  2gth. — The  battalion  passed  into  the 
Solidad  Valley ;  and  then,  by  cross  roads  over 
high  hills,  miry  from  rain,  into  a  firm  regular  road, 
and  sixteen  m.iles  in  all,  to  the  mission  of  San 
Diego. 

"  The  buildings  being  dilapidated,  and  in  use  by 
some  dirty  Indians,  I  camped  the  battalion  on  the 
flat  below.  There  are  around  us  extensive  gardens 
and  vineyards,  wells  and  cisterns,  more  or  less  fallen 
into  decay  and  disorder ;  but  also  olive  and  pictur- 
esque date  trees  flourishing  and  ornamental.  There 
is  no  fuel  for  miles  around,  and  the  dependence  for 
water  is  some  rather  distant  pools  in  the  sandy 
San  Diego,  which  runs  (sometimes)  down  to  the 
ocean.  The  evening  of  this  day  of  the  march,  I 
rode  down,  by  moonlight,  and  reported  to  the  Gen- 
eral in  San  Diego. 

The  battalion  seemed  to  have  deserved,  and 
cheered  heartily  the  following  order : 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  I97 

Headquarters  Mormon  Battalion. 

Mission  of  San  Diego,  January  30,  1847. 

ORDERS  NO.  I. 

The  Lieutenant-Colonel  commanding  congratulates  the  bat- 
talion on  their  safe  arrival  on  the  shore  of  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
and  the  conclusion  of  their  march  of  over  two  thousand  miles. 

History  may  be  searched  in  vain  for  an  equal  march  of  in- 
fantry. Half  of  it  has  been  through  a  wilderness  where  nothing 
but  savages  and  wild  beasts  are  found,  or  deserts  where,  for 
want  of  water,  there  is  no  living  creature.  There,  with  almost 
hopeless  labor  we  have  dug  deep  wells,  which  the  future  traveler 
will  enjoy.  Without  a  guide  who  had  traversed  them,  we  have 
ventured  into  trackless  table-lands  where  water  was  not  found 
for  several  marches.  With  crowbar  and  pick  and  axe  in  hand, 
we  have  worked  our  way  over  mountains,  which  seemed  to 
defy  aught  save  the  wild  goat,  and  hewed  a  passage  through  a 
chasm  of  living  rock  more  narrow  than  our  wagons.  To  bring 
these  first  wagons  to  the  Pacific,  we  have  preserved  the  strength 
of  our  mules  by  herding  them  over  large  tracts,  which  you  have 
laboriously  guarded  without  loss.  The  garrison  of  four  pre- 
sidios of  Sonora  concentrated  within  the  wails  of  Tucson,  gave 
us  no  pause.  We  drove  them  out,  with  their  artillery,  but  our 
intercourse  with  the  citizens  was  unmarked  by  a  single  act  of 
injustice.  Thus,  marching  half  naked  and  half  fed,  and  living 
upon  wild  animals,  we  have  discovered  and  made  a  road  of 
great  value  to  our  country. 

Arrived  at  the  first  settlement  of  California,  after  a  single 
day's  rest,  you  cheerfully  turned  off  from  the  route  to  this  point 
of  promised  repose,  to  enter  upon  a  campaign,  and  meet,  as  we 
supposed,  the  approach  of  the  enemy  ;  and  this  too,  without 
even  salt  to  season  your  sole  subsistence  of  fiesh  meat. 

Lieutenant  A.  J.  Smith  and  George  Stoneman,  of  the  First 
Dragoons,  have  shared  and  given  valuable  aid  in  all  these  labors. 

Thus,  volunteers,  you  have  exhibited  some  high  and  essen- 
tial qualities  of  veterans.  But  much  remains  undone.  Soon, 
you  will  turn  your  attention  to  the  drill,  to  system  and  order,  to 
forms  also,  which  are  all  necessary  to  the  soldier." 

By  order,  etc. 


IV. 

CALIFORNIA. 

T  T  PPER  California  was  discovered  by  Cabrillo,  a 
Spanish  navigator,  A.  D.   1548.     It  was  first 
colonized  in  1768. 

Presidios,  or  garrisoned  forts,  were  established 
at  San  Diego,  first,  at  Santa  Barbara,  Monterey, 
San  Francisco  ;  the  form  of  all  of  them  is  nearly  the 
same ;  adobe  walls  twelve  feet  high,  enclosing  a 
square  of  six  hundred  feet  fronts,  and  including  a 
chapel  and  store  houses ;  they  were  weak,  but  suffi- 
cient for  defence  against  wild  Indians,  whom  they 
called  gentiles ;  the  garrisons  were  of  about  eighty 
horsemen,  some  auxiliaries,  and  small  detachments 
of  artillery. 

Missions  of  Franciscans  accompanied,  or  imme- 
diately followed  them,  at  San  Diego  first ;  from 
time  to  time  above  twenty  more.  There  was  one 
near  each  presidio,  walled  like  them.  They  included 
handsome  churches,  some  of  stone,  ample  quarters. 


NEW   MEXICO  AND   CALIFORNIA.  199 

work  shops,  store  houses,  granaries  and  courts. 
They  gradually  extended  their  claims  to  territory, 
and  so  came  to  include  nearly  the  whole  countr}-. 
The  conversion  of  natives  went  hand  in  hand  with 
their  instruction  in  agriculture  and  mechanical  arts, 
and  the  use  of  the  Spanish  language  ;  they  were  the 
laborers  in  the  erection  of  those  great  structures. 
Their  villages,  called  rancherias,  were  near  the 
missions;  they  lived  in  thatched  conical  huts.  Small 
military  detachments  were  quartered  at  the  ranch- 
erias to  keep  order.  In  1822  the  number  of  the 
converts  was  estimated  at  twenty-two  thousand, 
besides  gentiles  settled  near  by. 

There  was  some  immigration  from  Mexico;  the 
soldiers  generally  brought  wives,  and  thus  the  white 
population  was  slowly  increased.  The  white  race, 
living  an  active  out-door  life,  in  a  most  genial  cli- 
mate, was  healthy  and  strong,  and  of  extreme  fecun- 
dity ;  the  presidial  companies  came  to  be  composed 
of  them  ;  but  it  was  difficult  for  them  to  secure  the 
ownership  of  land,  against  the  encroachments  of  the 
powerful   missions,  which   discouraged    immigration, 


and   under  an    irregular    and  weak   territorial  gov- 
ernment, the   head  of  which  was  the  commandante- 


200  THE   CO^^QUE-T   OF 

general.  Thus  their  state  was  not  far  above 
savagery ;  there  were  no  schools  ;  a  little  wheat, 
beans,  etc.,  was  raised  by  families  ;  their  diet  was 
chiefly  fresh  meat ;  even  milk  was  seldom  used,  and 
butter  almost  unknown.  They  were  indolent  although 
active  ;  almost  lived  on  horseback,  and  were  won- 
derful riders ;  they  and  the  Comanches  more  nearly 
realizing  the  fabled  centaurs  than  any  people  known 
to  us.  Horse-racing,  gambling,  and  dancing  were 
their  chief  occupations.  Still  they  had  received 
from  the  poor  Indians  the  designation  of  people  of 
reason  (^j'ente  de  razon). 

The  cattle  and  horses  introduced — the  latter  said 
to  be  of  Arabian  breed — wonderfully  increased  on 
the  rich  grasses  in  a  most  favorable  climate.  Up  to 
1826,  horses  which  had  become  wholly  wild,  so  over- 
ran the  land,  that  it  was  common  for  the  men  to 
join  together  to  drive  them  into  great  pens,  pre- 
pared for  the  purpose,  and  when  thus  confined, 
after  securing  some  of  the  finest  animals,  to  slaugh- 
ter the  rest. 

In  1 8 16  a  foreign  trade  in  hides  and  tallow  was 
opened;  an  annual  ship  came  from  Boston  ;  in  1822 
near   forty    thousand    hides    and    about    the   same 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  201 

number  of  arrobas  (twenty-five  pounds)  of  tallow 
were  exported.  Hides  became  known  as  California 
bank  notes,  of  the  value  of  two  dollars. 

The  Spanish  power  in  California  was  overthrown 
by  the  Mexican  revolution  of  1822  ;  and  the  policy 
of  the  ever-changing  governments  of  Mexico  showed 
itself  constant  in  the  secularization  of  the  govern- 
ment of  California.  The  Missions  began  to  decline 
in  wealth  and  power  in  1824.  The  decree  for  the 
expulsion  of  all  native  Spaniards  was  enforced  on 
their  priests  ;  and  by  1836  the  Fathers  were  finally 
stripped  of  their  possessions. 

It  was  a  sad  change  for  the  Indians,  who  were 
strongly  attached  to  their  spiritual  guides  and  gov- 
ernors, and  were  happy  and  content  under  their 
jurisdiction.  The  Missions  gradually  despoiled, — 
the  Californians  taking  an  active  part — under  se- 
cular administration,  the  proselytes  became  scat- 
tered or  subject  to  every  oppression  and  cruelty, — 
mere  serfs. 

But  this  wrong  and  devastation  had  compensa- 
ting effects  upon  the  people  at  large.  The  lands 
became  divided,  and  came  Into  individual  ownership  ; 
industry  and  enterprise   were  encouraged  in  those 


202  THE  CONQUEST  OF 

who  were  no  longer  dependent  upon  the  bounty  and 
the  will  of  priests. 

In  the  spring  of  1846  the  white  population  of 
California  was,  by  estimate,  no  higher  than  ten  thou- 
sand ;  including  about  two  thousand  foreigners  chief- 
ly from  the  United  States.  These  last  beginning  to 
arrive  so  rapidly,  their  superior  intelligence  and  ener- 
gy had  aroused  the  jealousy  of  prominent  natives. 

The  year  before  there  had  been  (no  uncommon 
thing)  a  revolution  headed  by  natives, — Castro,  Al- 
varado  and  Pio  Pico,  in  which  foreigners  took  part — 
which  resulted  in  the  expulsion  of  General  Michel- 
torena,  the  Mexican  governor. 

General  Castro  assumed  command  of  the  military, 
and  soon  after  issued  a  proclamation,  understood  to 
require  all  Americans  to  leave  the  country.  But  no 
immediate  measures  were  taken  to  enforce  the 
order,  and  it  was  disregarded  by  the  immigrants. 

In  the  winter  of  1845-6,  Brevet  Captain  Fre- 
mont, topographical  engineers,  under  favor  of  a  rov- 
ing commission  of  explorations,  by  extraordinary 
coincidence,  made  his  appearance  -at  the  head  of 
sixty  or  seventy  well  armed  adventurers,  in  govern- 
ment  pay,  among  the  northern  settlements;  and  he 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  203 

obtained  permission  from  Castro  to  remain,  for  the 
purpose  of  refreshing  his  men  and  horses.  Rumors 
of  a  change  and  of^  an  intended  attack  by  Castro, 
reached  him  ;  whereupon  he  fortified  himself  in  the 
mountains  which  overlook  Monterey.  But  after 
remaining  a  few  days,  he  determined,  early  in  the 
month  of  March,  to  proceed  to  Oregon,  and  before 
the  middle  of  May  he  had  reached  Lake  Klamath  in 
Oregon. 

Suddenly  he  was  overtaken  in  that  mountain 
wilderness  by  a  messenger  from  Washington  city. 
It  was  Lieutenant  Gillespie,  of  the  United  States 
Marine  Corps.  Captain  Fremont  turned  with  his 
"surveying"  party  to  retrace  his  journey. 

This  remarkable  occurrence  has  its  explanation. 
Senator  Thomas  H.  Benton  with  the  foresight  of  a 
statesman,  aspiring  to  be,  if  not  actually,  the  control- 
ling influence  of  President  Polk's  administration,  was 
tempted  by  paternal  ambition  to  anticipate  legal  war, 
and  used  his  influence  to  have  sent,  long  before  its  oc- 
currence, a  messenger  to  California,  where,  he  must 
have  had  reason  to  believe,  Captain  Fremont  would 
be  found  ;  he  bore  a  communication  to  Fremont  urg- 
ing, of  course,  his  great  opportunity  as  the  head  of 


204  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

seventy  veteran  woodsmen  and  the  hardy  immigrants 
in  Northern  California  to  forestal  the  war  and  revo- 
lutionize the  country,  or,  at  the  least,  to  be  present 
and  ready  to  reap  the  first  fruits  of  the  war.^  Lieu- 
tenant Gillespie,  an  officer  of  fine  address,  who  spoke 
perfectly  the  language  of  Mexico,  was  selected  and 
sent  through  that  country,  then  the  speediest  route. 
Arrived  at  Monterey,  with  a  dispatch  for  our  consul 
there — probably  to  require  his  assistance — he  found 
that  Captain  Fremont,  seemingly  with  no  taste  for 
the  commotions  already  begun,  and  the  threatened 
attack  of  Castro,  had  abandoned  to  the  Mexican  rev- 
olutionist the  field  of  a  great  opportunity.  Then 
Gillespie's  true  mission  was  developed,  and  he  pro- 
ceeded at  great  risks  to  follow  his  trail,  until  he  over- 
took him  and  delivered  instructions  which  he  could 
not  fail  to  heed. 

About  the  1st  of  June  the  lieutenant  com- 
manding the  Mexican  garrison  of  Sonoma  was 
ordered  to  remove  a  drove  of  government  horses 
from  the  mission  of  San  Rafael  to  Santa  Clara,  Gen- 
eral Castro's  headquarters.     To  accomplish  this,  the 

*  Eady  in  the  war  Colonel  Benton  was  nearly  successful  in  an 
intrigue  to  be  appointed  a  Lieutenant-General,  to  supersede  Win- 
field  Scott. 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  20$ 

officer  and  small  party  crossed  the  Sacramento  at 
Sutter's  Fort,  New  Helvetia,  the  nearest  point  at 
which  the  horses  could  swim  the  river.  An  Indian, 
having  seen  the  movement,  reported  among  the 
American  settlers  that  two  or  three  hundred  armed 
men  were  advancing  up  the  Sacramento  Valley. 

The  alarm  was  spread  through  the  valley  by 
swift  messengers ;  and  most  of  the  immigrants 
joined  Captain  Fremont,  who  by  this  time  was 
sixty  or  seventy  miles  above  Sutter's  Fort. 

The  truth  with  regard  to  the  lieutenant's  party 
was  soon  known,  with  the  addition,  true  or  not,  that 
the  object  of  the  slight  affair  was  to  mount  a  force 
to  march  against  the  Americans. 

After  consultation  it  was  resolved  that  the  Cali- 
fornia party  should  be  pursued,  as  the  capture  of 
the  horses  would  weaken  Castro,  and  for  a  time 
frustrate  his  designs.  Twelve  men  volunteered  and 
chose  a  Mr.  Merritt  for  their  leader.  They  followed 
and  surprised  the  party  June  the  loth,  when  it  sur- 
rendered, without  resistance,  the  horses  and  their 
arms.  They  were  given  each  a  horse  to  ride,  and 
were  released.  The  *'  Bear "  revolution  was  now 
fairly  begun,  and  the  only  safety  lay  in  its  vigorous 


^mv^^ 


206  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

prosecution.  The  same  party,  increased  to  above 
thirty,  naarched  directly  upon  Sonomaj  and  on  June 
14th,  took  possession  without  resistance  of  the 
town  and  military  post  ;  they  found  there  nine 
pieces  of  artillery  and  two  hundred  stand  of  small 
arms.  Several  officers  of  high  rank  were  captured, 
but  with  much  consideration  and  politeness  on  both 
sides,  General  Vallejo,  one  of  them,  sent  for  his 
caballada  and  remounted  the  whole  party.  Private 
property  was  scrupulously  respected. 

A  small  garrison  was  left  in  Sonoma,  and  was 
soon  increased  to  forty  men  under  command  of 
William  B.  Ide. 

June  1 8th,  his  garrison  assenting,  Mr.  Ide,  filled 
with  the  spirit  of '76,  and  infected  by  the  grandil- 
oquent style  of  the  people  of  the  land  which  they 
wished  to  adopt  as  their  own,  issued  a  proclamation  ; 
General  Castro  had  issued  two,  the  day  before. 

A  proclamation  to  all  persons  and  citizens  of  the  district 
of  Sonoma,  requesting  them  to  remain  at  peace,  and  follow  their 
rightful  occupations  without  fear  of  molestation. 

The  Commander-in-chief  of  the  troops  assembled  at  the 
fortress  of  Sonoma,  gives  his  inviolable  pledge  to  all  persons  in 
California,  not  found  under  arms,  that  they  shall  not  be  dis- 
turbed in  their  persons,  their  property,  or  social  relations,  one 
with  another,  by  men  under  his  command. 

He  also  solemnly  declares  his  object  to  be,  to  defend  him- 
self and  companions  in  arms,  who  were  invited  to  this  country 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  20/ 

by  a  promise  of  lands  on  which  to  settle  themselves  and  fami- 
lies ;  who  were  also  promised  a  Republican  government ;  when 
having  arrived  in  California,  they  were  denied  the  privilege  of 
buying  or  renting  lands  of  their  friends  ;  who,  instead  of  being 
allowed  to  participate  in,  or  being  protected  by  a  Republican 
government,  were  oppressed  by  a  military  despotism ;  who 
were  even  threatened  by  proclamation,  by  the  chief  officers  of 
the  aforesaid  despotism,  with  extermination  if  they  should  not 
depart  out  of  the  country,  leaving  all  their  property,  arms,  and 
beasts  of  burden  ;  and  thus  deprived  of  their  means  of  flight  or 
defence,  we  were  to  be  driven  through  deserts  inhabited  by 
hostile  Indians,  to  certain  destruction. 

To  overthrow  a  government  which  has  seized  upon  the 
property  of  the  Missions  for  its  individual  aggrandizement; 
which  has  ruined  and  shamefully  oppressed  the  laboring  peo- 
ple of  California,  by  their  enormous  exactions  on  goods  im- 
ported into  the  country, — is  the  determined  purpose  of  the 
brave  men  who  are  associated  under  my  command. 

I  also  solemnly  declare  my  object,  in  the  second  place,  to 
be  to  invite  all  peaceable  ,and  good  citizens  of  California,  who 
are  friendly  to  the  maintenance  of  good  order  and  equal 
rights,  and  I  do  hereby  invite  them  to  repair  to  my  camp  at  So- 
noma, without  delay,  to  assist  in  establishing  and  perpetuating 
a  Republican  Government,  which  shall  secure  to  all,  civil  and 
religious  liberty ;  which  shall  encourage  virtue  and  literature  ; 
which  shall  leave  unshackled  by  fetters,  agriculture,  commerce, 
and  manufactures. 

I  further  declare  that  I  rely  upon  the  rectitude  of  our  in- 
tentions, the  favor  of  Heaven,  and  the  bravery  of  those  who  are 
bound  and  associated  with  me,  by  the  principles  of  self-preser- 
vation, by  the  love  of  truth,  and  the  hatred  of  tyranny,  for  my 
hopes  of  success. 

I  furthermore  declare,  that  I  believe  that  a  government  to 
be  prosperous  and  happy,  must  originate  with  a  people  who  are 
friendly  to  its  existence ;  that  the  citizens  are  its  guardians,  the 
officers  its  servants,  its  glory  its  reward. 

(Signed)  WiLLIAM  B.  IDE. 

Headquarters,  Sonoma,  June  i8th,  1846. 


208  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

General  Castro's  two  short  proclamations,  issued 
practically  at  the  same  time,  were  moderate  for  a 
Mexican,  and  should  be  considered  in  any  view  of 
the  merits  of  the  situation. 

The  citizen  Jose  Castro,  lieutenant-colonel  of  cavalry  in 
the  Mexican  army,  and  acting  general-commander  of  the  de- 
partment of  California. 

Fellow  Citizens  : — The  contemptible  policy  of  the  agents  of 
the  United  States  of  North  America,  in  this  department,  has  in- 
duced a  portion  of  adventurers,  who,  regardless  of  the  rights  of 
men,  have  daringly  commenced  an  invasion,  possessing  them- 
selves of  the  town  of  Sonoma,  taking  by  surprise  at  that  place, 
the  military  commander  of  that  border,  Colonel  Don  Mariano 
Guadalupe  Vallejo,  Lieut.-colonel  Don  Victor  Prudon,  Captain 
Don  Salvador  Vallejo,  and  Mr.  Jacob  P.  Leese. 

Fellow  Countrymen : — The  defence  of  our  liberty,  the  true 
religion  which  our  fathers  possessed,  and  our  independence,  calls 
upon  us  to  sacrifice  ourselves,  rather  than  lose  these  inestimable 
blessings  ;  banish  from  your  hearts  all  petty  resentments,  turn 
you,  and  behold  yourselves,  these  families,  these  innocent  little 
ones,  which  have  unfortunately  fallen  into  the  hands  of  our  ene- 
mies, dragged  from  the  bosoms  of  their  fathers,  who  are  pris- 
oners among  foreigners,  and  are  calling  upon  us  to  succor  them. 
There  is  still  time  for  us  to  rise  "  en  masse  "  as  irresistible  as 
retributive.  You  need  not  doubt  but  Divine  Providence  will 
direct  us  in  the  way  to  glory.  You  should  not  vacillate  be- 
cause of  the  smallness  of  the  garrison  of  the-general  headquar- 
ters, for  he  who  first  will  sacrifice  himself  will  be  your  friend  and 
fellow  citizen.  JoSE  Castro. 

Headquarters,  Santa  Clara,  June  17th,  1846. 

Citizen  Jose  Castro,  lieutenant-colonel  of  artillery  in  the 
Mexican  army,  and  acting  general-commander  of  the  depart- 
ment of  Upper  California. 


NEW    MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  209 

All  foreigners  residing-  among  us,  occupied  with  their  busi- 
ness, may  rest  assured  of  the  protection  of  all  the  authorities  of 
the  department,  while  they  refrain  entirely  from  all  revolution- 
ary movements. 

The  general  commandancia  under  my  charge  will  never  pro- 
ceed with  rigor  against  any  persons,  neither  will  its  authority  re- 
sult in  mere  words,  wanting  proof  to  support  it ;  declaration  shall 
be  taken,  proofs  executed,  and  the  liberty  and  rights  of  the 
laborious,  which  is  ever  com.mendable,  shall  be  protected. 

Let  the  fortune  of  war  take  its  chance  with  those  ungrateful 
men,  who,  with  arms  in  their  hands,  have  attacked  the  coun- 
try, without  recollecting  they  were  treated  by  the  undersigned 
with  all  the  indulgence  of  which  he  is  so  characteristic.  The 
inhabitants  of  the  department  are  witnesses  to  the  truth  of 
this.  I  have  nothing  to  fear,  my  duty  leads  me  to  death  or  vic- 
tory. I  am  a  Mexican  soldier,  and  I  will  be  free  and  indepen- 
dent, or  I  will  gladly  die  for  these  inestimable  blessings. 

Jose  Castro. 
Headquarters,  Santa  Clara,  June  17th,  1846. 

About  this  time,  two  young  men,  T.  Corvie  and 
Fowler,  were  captured  in  the  neighborhood  of  Sono- 
ma by  one  Padilla.  They  were  taken  to  his  camp, 
and,  a  day  or  two  after,  were  cruelly  tortured  to 
death.* 

Their  disappearance  was  soon  known,  and  their 
murder  suspected  ;  and  the  commander  of  Sonoma 
hearing  of  several  prisoners  in  Padilla's  camp,  sent 
Captain  Ford  and  twenty-one  men  to  attack  him,  at 
his  supposed  position  at  Santa  Rosa  plains.     Arrived 

*  "What  I  saw  in  California,"  by  E.  Bryant,  afterward  captain  of 
Fremont's  battalion,  and  Alcalde  of  San  Francisco. 


210  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

there,  it '  was  found  that  Captain  De  la  Torre  had 
joined  Padilla  with  seventy  men,  and  that  they  had. 
gone  in  the  direction  of  San  Rafael.  Marching  all 
night,  Ford,  having  ridden  sixty  miles,  surprised  the 
enemy,  taking  breakfast,  twelve  miles  from  San 
Rafael ;  they  were  in  a  house  about  sixty  yards 
from  a  clump  of  brushwood.  Dismounting  there, 
Captain  Ford,  ordering  that  not  a  shot  should  be 
wasted,  advanced  upon  the  house.  After  a  short 
resistance,  a  sergeant  and  party  charging  upon  the 
Americans,  the  Californians  took  to  flight,  leaving 
eight  killed  and  two  wounded.  They  rallied  on  a 
hill,  about  a  mile  off;  but  showing  no  disposition  to 
return,  Captain  Ford  exchanged  his  tired  horses  for 
fresh  ones,  found  there  in  a  corral,  and  rode  back  to 
Sonoma. 

''Captain  Fremont,  having  heard  that. Don  Jose 
Castro  was  crossing  the  bay  with  two  hundred  men, 
marched  and  joined  the  garrison  of  Sonoma,  on  the 
25th  of  June.  Several  days  were  spent  in  active 
pursuit  of  the  party  under  Captain  De  la  Torre,  but 
they  succeeded  in  crossing  the  bay  before  they 
could   be   overtaken.      With  the    retreat   of    De  la 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  211 

Torre  ended  all  opposition  on  the  north  side  of  the 
Bay  of  San  Francisco."* 

Captain  Fremont,  then,  with  about  one  hundred 
and  seventy  men,  returned  to  the  mouth  of  the 
American  River  near  Sutter's  Fort. 

A  small  party  under  R.  Sennple  was  ordered  to 
cross  the  Bay,  to  the  town  of  San  Francisco,  then 
called  Yerba  Buena,  to  seize  the  captain  of  the 
port,  R.  T.  Ridley;  which  was  done,  and  Ridley 
was  taken  to  New  Helvetia,  (Sutter's  Fort,)  July 
8th  ;  there  other  prisoners  were  in  confinement. 

Commodore  Sloat,  in  the  United  States  Frigate 
Savannah,  arrived  at  Monterey  on  the  second  of 
July;  he  had  heard  of  a  collision  in  arms  upon  the 
Rio  Grande,  but  not  of  the  declaration  of  Congress 
that  war  existed.  But  on  the  7th,  he  determined  to 
hoist  the  American  flag  in  Monterey,  and  it  was  done 
by  Captain  Mervine  with  two  hundred  and  fifty  sea- 
men and  marines,  amid  cheers  of  troops  and  for- 
eigners, and  with  a  salute  from  each  of  the  ships  in 
the  harbor.  At  the  same  time  a  proclamation  was 
read,  and  posted  in  the  town,  both  in  English  and 
Spanish. 

*  "  What  I  saw  in  California."  p.  293. 


212  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

In  it  he  announced  that  the  two  nations  being 
actually  at  war,  he  should  carry  the  flag  throughout 
California;  he  came  as  the  best  friend  of  the  inhab- 
itants as  "  henceforth  California  will  be  a  portion  of 
the  United  States."  Judges  and  alcaldes  were 
invited  to  continue  to  execute  the  functions  of  their 
offices :  and  supplies  and  provisions  should  be 
promptly  paid  for  at  fair  rates.  Under  instructions 
from  Commodore  Sloat,  Captain  Montgomery,  of 
the  Portsmouthi  which  lay  at  San  Francisco,  landed 
seventy  sailors  and  marines  and  hoisted  the  United 
States  flag  in  the  public  square  ;  and  a  volunteer 
company  of  Americans  was  immediately  organized 
for  the  defence  of  the  town.  On  the  loth,  a  na- 
tional flag  was  sent  by  Captain  Montgomery  to 
Sonoma ;  the  Bear  flag  was  lowered,  and  the 
American  flag  was  raised  amid  the  shouts  of  the 
garrison. 

Purser  Fauntleroy,  of  the  Savannah  at  Monterey, 
had  been  ordered  to  organize  a  mounted  company, 
from  the  ships  and  citizens,  in  order  to  keep  up  com- 
munication with  the  northern  posts  held  by  immi- 
grants ;  it  marched  July  17th,  to  take  possession  of 
the  Mission  of  San  Juan,  about  thirty  miles  east  of 


NEW    MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  213 

Monterey.  Captain  Fremont,  having  left  his  posi- 
tion on  the  Sacramento  River  on  the  I2th,  arrived  at 
San  Juan  about  an  hour  before  him,  and  occupied 
the  Mission  without  opposition.  Nine  pieces  of 
cannon,  two  hundred  old  muskets  and  a  store  of 
ammunition  were  found  there.  Both  parties  marched 
to  Monterey  next  day. 

At  every  important  point  in  northern  California 
the  American  flag  was  now  flying. 

Fortifications  at  Monterey  were  begun  immedi- 
ately after  its  occupation.  Commodore  R.  F.  Stock- 
ton arrived  there  July  15th,  in  the  frigate  Congress^ 
and  on  the  23d  Commodore  Sloat  sailed  in  the  Le- 
vant  for  Panama. 

General  Castro  retreating,  had  joined  Governor 
Pio  Pico  at  Santa  Barbara,  when  the  joint  for- 
ces numbered  about  six  hundred  ;  they  then 
marched  for  Los  Angeles  and  arrived  there  early  in 
August. 

Immediately  after  taking  command,  Commodore 
Stockton  sailed  in  the  Congress,  July  25th,  for  San 
Pedro,  the  port  of  Los  Angeles,  and  at  the  same  time 
sent  the  Cyane,  Captain  Dupont,  with  Captain  Fre- 
mont and  volunteers  on  board,  to  San  Diego.      The 


214  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

frigate  Savannah  remained  at  Monterey,  and  the 
sloop  Portsmouth  at  San  Francisco. 

Arrived  at  San  Pedro,  twenty-five  miles  south  of 
Los  Angeles,  Commodore  Stockton  landed  a  large 
force  of  sailors  and  marines  from  the  Congress,  and 
marched  for  Los  Angeles,  his  artillery  being  dragged 
by  oxen.  At  his  approach  to  the  camp  of  the  Cal- 
ifornians,  close  to  the  town,  they  fled  without 
resistance ;  and  the  capital  was  occupied  without 
opposition  on  the  I2th  of  August.  The  Californians 
dispersed,  and  General  Castro  with  a  few  followers 
took  the  road  to  Sonora. 

Captain  Fremont  had  previously  been  landed  at 
San  Diego,  about  one  hundred  and  forty  miles  south 
of  Los  Angeles,  and  met  with  difficulty  in  procuring 
horses  ;  he  marched  to  Los  Angeles  with  eighty  men, 
and  arrived  several  days  after  Castro's  flight.* 

Commodore  Stockton,  on  the  17th  of  August, 
issued  a  proclamation  as  "  Commander-in-chief,  and 
Governor  of  California."  It  announced  that  the 
"  Territory  of  California  now  belongs  to  the  United 
States,"  and  the  people  were  "  requested  to  meet  in 
their  several   towns  and   departments,  at   such  time 

*  What  I  saw  in  California,  p.  297. 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  21 5 

and  place  as  they  may  see  fit,  to  elect  civil  officers 
to  fill  the  places  of  those  who  decline  to  continue 
in  office,  and  to  administer  the  laws  according  to 
the  former  usages  of  the  territory." 

Thorough  protection  in  ''liberty  of  conscience," 
persons  and  property  was  promised. 

*'  The  California  battalion  of  mounted  riflemen 
will  be  kept  in  the  service  of  the  territory,  and  con- 
stantly on  duty,  to  prevent  and  punish  any  aggres- 
sions by  the  Indians,  or  any  other  persons,  upon  the 
property  of  individuals,  or  the  peace  of  the  terri- 
tory :  and  California  hereafter  shall  be  so  governed 
and  defended  as  to  give  security  to  the  inhabitants, 
and  to  defy  the  power  of  Mexico. 

"  All  persons  are  required,  as  long  as  the  terri- 
tory is  under  martial  law,  to  be  in  their  houses  from 
ten  o'clock  at  night  until  sunrise  in  the  morning." 

On  the  22d  he  issued  a  proclamation  for  the 
election  of  alcaldes  to  take  place  September  22d, 
and  soon  after  another  without  date,  announcing  a 
territorial  form  of  government. 

In  an  official  letter,  dated  August  27th,  to  *'  Ma- 
jor Fremont,  California  battalion,"  he  authorized 
him  to  increase  the  battalion  to  three  hundred  men, 


2l6  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

and  to  garrison  the  five  principal  towns,  and  in- 
formed him  that  before  he  left  the  territory,  it  was 
his  intention  to  appoint  him  "governor,  and  Cap- 
tain Gillespie  the  secretary  thereof." 

Captain  Gillespie  was  left  in  command  at  Los 
Angeles ;  fifty  men  had  been  ordered  to  constitute 
the  garrison. 

On  the  27th  of  September,  about  a  month  later, 
the  frigate  Congress^  Captain  Livingston,  bearing 
the  broad  pennant  of  Commodore  Stockton,  and 
the  frigate  Savannah,  Captain  Mervine,  anchored 
in  the  harbor  of  San  Francisco,  having  sailed  from 
Monterey  a  day  or  two  before. 

October  ist,  a  courier  arrived  from  the  south 
with  news  of  an  insurrection  of  the  Californians, 
which  occurred  September  23d  at  Los  Angeles,  and 
of  the  capture  by  them  of  an  American  merchant- 
vessel  lying  at  San  Pedro.  The  Savannah  immedi- 
ately sailed  for  San  Pedro. 

At  this  time  there  were  in  the  harbor  of  San 
Francisco,  vessels  of  many  nations,  and  among  them 
a  ship  of  the  French  navy,  and  a  Russian  brig  from 
Sitka,  commanded  by  a  naval  officer,  and  laden  with 
wheat. 


NEW    MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  217 

Commodore  Stockton  having  given  two  days* 
notice,  landed  October  5th,  being  received  with  a 
great  parade,  naval,  marine  and  civil,  with  music 
and  speeches  ;  rode  out  to  the  mission  of  San  Fran- 
cisca  Dolores,  to  a  collation  at  the  house  of  Captain 
Leidesdorff, — at  which  he  spoke  an  hour — returning 
to  a  ball  in  town  that  night. 

Major  Fremont,  who  had  returned  to  the  north  to 
recruit  his  battalion,  having  arrived  from  the  Sacra- 
mento with  his  volunteers,  on  the  12th,  the  next  day 
Commodore  Stockton  in  the  Congress,  and  Fremont's 
one  hundred  and  eighty  volunteers  in  a  transport, 
sailed  for  the  south — San  Pedro  or  San  Diego,  it 
was  understood. 

Meantime  Captain  Mervine,  having  arrived  at 
San  Pedro,  landed  about  four  hundred  of  the  sailors 
and  marines  of  the  Savannah^  and  marched  for  Los 
Angeles ;  being  met  on  the  Mesa  by  a  large  force  of 
insurgents,  he  was  defeated,  losing  six  men  killed, 
and  retreated  to  his  ship.  Captain  Gillespie  sur- 
rendered Los  Angeles.  Santa  Barbara  was  belea- 
guered, but  Lieutenant  Talbot,  with  his  garrison  of 
twenty-five  men,  forced  his  way  out,  and  after  suffer- 
ing many  hardships,  reached  Monterey  in  safety. 
10 


2l8  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

Commodore  Stockton  had  now  one  hundred  and 
eighty  volunteers  added  to  the  force  with  which  he 
had  before  captured  Los  Angeles ;  but  doubtless 
hearing  of  Captain  Mervine's  defeat,  entered  the 
harbor  of  Monterey  about  the  24th  of  October,  after 
being  adouf  twelve  days  at  sea,  and  landed  Major  Fre- 
mont and  his  volunteers  in  order  that  the  battalion 
should  be  recruited,  and  organized  on  a  larger  scale. 

From  this  time  until  January,  1847,  when  Gen- 
eral Kearny  had  arrived,  the  Californians  were  in  little 
disturbed  possession  of  the  country,  save  the  three 
ports, — San  Francisco,  Monterey  and  San  Diego. 

Major  Fremont  was  taking  measures  to  collect 
volunteers,  and  to  mount  the  battalion,  in  order  to 
march  to  the  south.  November  15th,  Mr.  T.  O. 
Larkin,  U.  S.  Consul  at  Monterey,  was  captured 
and  maltreated  by  a  large  force  of  Californians,  about 
twenty  miles  north  of  that  town  ;  who  also  the  same 
day  attacked  a  party  of  Americans  who  were  driving 
four  hundred  horses  to  Major  Fremont's  camp  at 
Monterey,  killing  and  wounding  six  of  the  party  ; 
but  eight  others  took  refuge  in  a  grove,  and  de- 
fended themselves  for  an  hour,  against  one  hundred 
and  thirty  Californians;  when,  being  joined    by  a 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  219 

party  of  fifty  immigrant  volunteers,  the  insurgents 
gradually  drew  off. 

However,  they  still  kept  rallying,  and  firmg  now 
and  then  a  musket  at  the  Americans,  until  eleven 
o'clock  at  night,  when  "  one  of  the  Walla-Walla 
Indians  offered  his  services  to  come  into  Monterey 
and  give  Colonel  Fremont  notice  of  what  was 
passing.  Soon  after  he  started  he  was  pursued  by  a 
party  of  the  enemy.  The  foremost  in  pursuit  drove 
a  lance  at  the  Indian,  who,  trying  to  parry  it,  received 
the  lance  through  his  hand ;  he  immediately,  with 
the  other  hand,  seized  his  tomahawk,  and  struck  a 
blow  at  his  opponent,  which  split  his  head  from  the 
crown  to  the  mouth.  By  this  time  the  others  had 
come  up,  and  with  the  most  extraordinary  dexterity 
and  bravery,  the  Indian  vanquished  two  more,  and 
the  rest  ran  away.  He  rode  on  towards  this  town 
as  far  as  his  horse  was  able  to  carry  him,  and  came  in 
on  foot."  * 

Major  Fremont  marched  from  Monterey  as  soon 
as  he  heard  of  this  skirmish,  but  did  not  meet  with 
the  Californians  ;  he  then  camped  at  the  Mission  of 

*  "  Californian  "  newspaper,  Monterey,  Nov.  2ist. 


220  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

San  Juan,  waiting  the  arrival  of  volunteers  from  the 
north. 

He  marched  ten  miles  south,  Nov.  28th,  and 
in  camp  there  the  reorganization  of  the  battalion 
was  completed.  It  consisted  of  four  hundred  and 
twenty-eight  men,  including  a  few  Indians,  and  was 
divided  into  eight  companies  of  mounted  men,  with 
three  officers  to  each  ;  officers  and  privates  were 
armed  with  rifle  and  holster  pistols  ;  besides  a  bowie 
knife  and  in  some  cases  a  brace  of  pistols  in  waist 
belts.  Attached  were  two  pieces  of  artillery,  under 
command  of  Louis  McLane  and  John  K.  Wilson, 
both  of  the  navy. 

Besides  mules  for  packing  baggage,  five  or  six 
hundred  horses,  for  remounts,  were  driven  with  the 
battalion. 

The  battalion  marched  ten  miles  November  30th  ; 
finding  no  cattle  in  the  vicinity  of  the  camp,  a  party 
was  sent  back  to  the  Mission,  who  returned  with  one 
hundred  head.     These  were  driven  for  future  use. 

There  was  much  rain,  and  the  grass  was  young 
and  tender ;  these  causes  together  produced  con- 
stant failure  and  exhaustion  in  the  horses.  The 
march  was  resumed  December  3d  ;  and  eleven  days 


NEW    MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  221 

averaged  eleven  miles  a  day.  Other  rations  ex- 
hausted, the  battalion  consumed  an  average  of  ten 
pounds  a  day  of  fat  beef.  * 

The  Mission  San  Miguel,  on  the  heads  of  the 
Salinas  River,  was  passed  December  loth.  **  Under 
the  administration  of  the  padres  it  was  a  wealthy 
establishment,  and  manufactures  of  various  kinds 
were  carried  on.  They  raised  immense  numbers  of 
sheep,  the  fleeces  of  which  were  manufactured  by 
the  Indians  into  blankets  and  coarse -cloths.  Their 
granaries  were  filled  with  an  abundance  of  maize 
and  frijoles,  and  their  store  rooms  with  other  neces- 
saries of  life  from  the  ranchos  belonging  to  the 
mission  lands  in  the  vicinity.  Now  all  the  build- 
ings, except  the  church  and  principal  range  of 
houses  contiguous,  have  fallen  into  ruins,  and  an 
Englishman,  his  wife  and  one  child,  with  two  or 
three  Indian  servants,  are  the  sole  inhabitants.  The 
church  is  the  largest  I  have  seen  in  the  country,  and 
its  interior  is  in  good  repair.  .  .  The  Englishman 
professes  to  have  purchased  the  mission  and  all  the 
lands  belonging  to  it  for  $300."  * 

'^  December  \2th. — To   relieve   our  horses,  which 

*  "  What  I  saw  in  California." 
10* 


222  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

are  constantly  giving  out,  the  entire  battalion  were 
ordered  to  march  on  foot,  turning  their  horses  with 
the  saddles  and  bridles  upon  them,  into  the  general 
caballada,  to  be  driven  along  by  the  horse  guard. 
An  Indian,  said  to  be  the  servant  of  Tortorio  Pico, 
was  captured  here  by  the  advance  party.  A  letter 
was  found  upon  him,  but  its  contents  I  never 
learned." 

December  \2,th. — "  Mr.  Stanley,  one  of  the  volun- 
teers, and  one  of  the  gentlemen  who  so  kindly  sup- 
plied us  with  provisions  on  Mary's  River,  died  last 
night.  .  .  He  was  buried  this  morning,  .  .  and  the 
ashes  of  a  braver  or  a  better  man  will  never  repose 
in  the  lonely  hills  of  CaHfornia." 

After  the  funeral  the  battalion  was  marched  a 
short  distance  to  witness  another  scene.  The 
Indian  captured  at  the  rancho  yesterday  was  con- 
demned to  die.  He  was  tied  to  a  tree.  Here  he 
stood  some  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  until  the 
Indians  from  a  neighboring  rancheria  could  be 
brought  to  witness  the  execution.  A  file  of  soldiers 
was  then  ordered  to  fire  upon  him.  He  fell  upon 
his  knees  and  remained  in  that  position  several  min- 
utes without  uttering  a  groan,  and  then  sank  upon 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  223 

the  earth.  No  human  being  could  have  met  his 
fate  with  more  composure,  or  with  stronger  mani- 
festations of  courage.  It  was  a  scene  such  as  I 
desire  never  to  witness  again.* 

Next  day  the  battahon  reached  the  mission  of 
San  Luis  Obispo,  and  remained  there  two  rainy 
days. 

A  party  was  sent,  and  captured  Tortorio  Pico,  a 
conspicuous  revolutionist.  On  the  i6th  he  was 
brought  before  a  court  martial,  and  tried  for  forfeit- 
ure of  parole  and  sentenced  to  death. 

December  iph. — ''While  standing  in  one  of  the 
corridors  this  morning,  a  procession  of  females  passed 
by  me,  headed  by  a  lady  of  fine  appearance  and 
dressed  with  remarkable  taste  and  neatness,  com- 
pared with  those  who  followed  her.  Their  rebosos 
concealed  the  faces  of  most  of  them,  except  the 
leader,  whose  beautiful  features,  I  dare  say,  she 
thought  (and  justly)  required  no  concealment. 
They  proceeded  to  the  quarters  of  Colonel  Fremont 
and  their  object  .  .  .  was  to  petition  for  the  .  .  . 
pardon  of  Pico  .  .  .  whose  execution  was  expected 
to  take  place  this  morning.     Their  intercession  was 

*  '•  What  I  saw  in  California." 


224  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

successful,  as  no  execution  took  place,  and  in  a  short 
time  all  the  prisoners  were  discharged."* 

December  24th,  the  battalion  ascended  the  St. 
Inez  Mountains,  and  there  camped.  There,  they 
overlooked  the  beautiful  plain  of  Santa  Barbara. 
"  With  the  spy  glass,  we  could  see  in  the  plain  far 
below  us,  herds  of  cattle  quietly  grazing  upon  the 
green  herbage  which  carpets  its  gentle  undulations. 
The  plain  is  dotted  with  groves,  surrounding  the 
springs  and  belting  the  small  water-courses,  of 
which  there  were  many  flowing  from  this  fange  of 
mountains.  Ranchos  are  scattered  far  up  and  down 
the  plain,  but  not  one  human  being  could  be  seen 
stirring.  About  ten  or  twelve  miles  to  the  south, 
the  white  towers  of  the  Mission  Santa  Barbara  raise 
themselves.  Beyond  is  the  illimitable  waste  of 
waters."  f  On  the  mountain  the  shrubbery  was  in 
bloom. 

But  next  day,  Christmas,  came  a  great  rain 
storm,  and   the   three  miles  of  descent  was  scarcely 

*  Being  an  officer  of  the  battalion,  Mr.  Bryant  makes  no  com- 
ment upon  the  different  fates  of  the  principal,  and  his  ignorant  tool, 
Ihe  brave  Indian,  who  had  no  beautiful  friend.  And  yet  irrespec- 
tive of  the  question  of  the  criminality  of  the  Indian,  would  it  not  be 
impossible  to  discover  any  sanction  or  human  authority  for  his  trial 

f  •'  What  I  saw  in  California." 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  22$ 

accomplished,  even  in  the  night  following;  the 
cannon  and  some  baggage  were  left, — to  be  sent  for 
next  day,  — and  about  one  hundred  horses  lost  their 
lives  (the  loss  in  the  month  had  been  about  seven 
hundred). 

December  27th,  they  camped  a  half  mile  from 
Santa  Barbara.  About  a  hundred  miles  to  the 
south  the  final  battles  were  impending;  they  were 
fought  about  two  weeks  later.  Californians  visited 
the  camp,  and  the  prize  schooner  Julia  came  into 
port,  and  landed  a  piece  of  artillery  for  the  bat- 
talion. But  the  battalion  lay  at  Santa  Barbara 
a  week. 

New  Years  day  was  celebrated  by  the  Indians  of 
the  mission  and  town  by  a  procession,  music,  etc. 
They  marched  through  the  streets  of  the  deserted 
town  to  the  tune  of  Yankee  Doodle. 

The  weather  for  that  week  was  the  April  of  the 
Middle  Atlantic  States:  the  thermometer  ranged 
from  fifty  to  seventy  degrees. 

The    battalion    marched    ten    miles   January  3d, 

1847.     Next  night,  after  a   march  of  six   miles  they 

for  a  capital  offence,  and  his  execution  by  this  "  battalion  "  of  volun- 
teers, who  did  not  have  a  single  commission  or  legal  appointment 
among  them  ? 

10* 


226  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

camped  on  the  beach  in  the  Rincon,  where  they 
apprehended  opposition  ;  but  the  Julia  lay  in  sight 
to  cover  the  passage  ;  and  on  the  5th  they  reached 
the  mission  of  San  Buenaventure,  and  camped  at 
two  o'clock.  Soon  after  a  small  party  of  Californians 
were  seen  on  a  hill ;  the  battalion  was  called  to  arms, 
the  cannon  were  fired,  and  **  they  scampered  away 
like  a  flock  of  antelopes." 

Only  a  few  Indians  were  found  at  the  mission  ; 
the  white  population  had  abandoned  it  at  the  ap- 
proach of  the  battalion. 

January  6th,  having  marched  six  or  seven  miles, 
a  party  of  sixty  or  seventy  mounted  CaHfornians 
showed  themselves  in  front ;  a  Delaware  and  a  Cal- 
ifornia Indian  in  advance  beckoned  and  shouted  to 
the  battalion  to  come  on,  but  in  vain  ;  it  was  turned 
into,  and  followed  far,  a  cafion,  until  it  was  imprac- 
ticable for  the  artillery  to  follow  ;  it  had  to  retrace  its 
ascent ;  *  the  Californians  were  prancing  and  waving 
banners  and  arms ;  but  the  two  brave  Indians  rode 
towards  them,  and  exchanged  some  shots,  when  the 
Californians  soon  disappeared.  The  battalion  went 
into  camp. 

*"  What  I  saw  in  California." 


NEW   MEXICO  AND   CALIFORNIA.  22/ 

This  California  detachment,  having  accomplished 
their  probable  object,  no  doubt  returned  to  take 
part  in  the  battles  of  January  8th  and  9th. 

Next  day  the  battalion  again  marched  but  seven 
miles. 

On  the  8th,  twelve  miles  were  marched ;  horses 
and  men  had  lately  fared  well ;  forage,  beans  and 
vegetables  having  become  plentiful.  Besides  the 
regular  guard,  one-fourth  of  the  battalion  were  kept 
under  arms  during  the  night. 

Next  morning  early,  Captain  Hamley  arrived  in 
camp  with  dispatches  from  Commodore  Stockton: 
he  had  landed  at  Santa  Barbara,  and  followed 
the  battalion.  The  battalion  marched  twelve 
miles. 

On  the  loth,  a  few  CaHfornians,  supposed  to  be 
the  same  who  had  stopped  the  march  on  the  6th, 
showed  themselves,  having  had  time  to  return  from 
the  battles  of  the  Mesa  of  Los  Angeles.  The  bat- 
talion camped,  having  marched  ten  miles. 

On  the  nth  of  January  it  took  quarters  at  the 
mission  of  San  Fernando,  at  I  o'clock  P.  M. 

There  were  found  thousands  of  bushels  of  corn, 
noble  gardens,  roses  in  bloom,  oranges,  lemons,  figs, 


228   ■  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

olives  in  full  bearing,  large  herds  of  cattle  and  sheep 
grazing  on  the  luxuriant  plain. 

Having  followed,  to  its  last  ominous  pause,  the 
slow*  march  of  this  battalion,  (which  had  little  or  no 
effect  upon  the  enemy  or  the  war,  and  resulted  in  un- 
precedented official  demoralization,  but  fortunately 
in  no  other  serious  injury  to  the  public  service)  let 
them  be  left  in  such  good  quarters,  while  the  reader 
turns  to  trace  the  fortunes, — until  they  culminate  in 
peace  and  order  to  California — of  that  veteran  and 
proved  public  servant.  General  Kearny.  He  was 
left  deceived  as  to  the  subjugation  of  California,  and 
entering,  with  only  an  escort,  the  unknown  moun- 
tains of  the  Gila  River. 

General  Kearny's  March  to  the  Pacific. 
General  Kearny  was  left  turning  westward  from 
the  Rio  Grande,  October  15th,  1846;  among  his 
staff  were  Captain  H.  S.  Turner,  First  Dragoons, 
Lieutenant  W.  H.  Emory,  Topographical  Engineers, 
and  Captain  A.  R.  Johnston,  First  Dragoons  A.  D. 
C.  ;  his  escort  was  100  men  of  First  Dragoons  com- 
manded by  Captain  Ben.  Moore  and  Lieutenant  T. 
C.   Hammond,  and    mounted   on  mules ;    also    two 

*  Three  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in  forty-three  days. 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  22g 

mountain  howitzers  in  charge  of  Lieut.  J.  W.  David- 
son, First  Dragoons.  The  baggage  was  packed  on 
mules. 

They  first  passed  over  high  plains,  intersected 
by  several  bold  streams  ;  their  richness  and  admira- 
ble fitness  for  grazing  are  extolled.  On  the  1 8th 
they  reached  the  old  copper  mines  on  the  second 
branch  of  the  Mimbres.  "They  are  said  to  be  very 
rich,  both  in  copper  and  gold,  and  the  specimens 
obtained  maintain  this  assertion.  We  learn  that 
those  who  worked  them  made  their  fortunes ;  but 
the  Apaches  did  not  like  their  proximity,  and  one 
day  turned  out  and  destroyed  the  mining  town, 
driving  off  the  inhabitants.  There  are  remains  of 
twenty  or  thirty  adobe  houses,  and  ten  or  fifteen 
shafts  sinking  into  the  earth."  * 

October  igth. — The  country  passed  over  in  the 
first  part  of  the  day  was  beautiful ;  it  was  a  succes- 
sion of  high,  rolling  hills. 

Thirteen  miles  from  the  copper  mines  was 
passed  the  sulphur  spring  of  San  Lucia,  in  a  beauti- 
ful valley,  and  that  night  camp  was  made  after  dark 
on  Night  Creek,  the  mire  of  which  was  very  disturb- 

*  *'  Notes  of  a  military  reconnoissance,  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  W. 
H.  Emory." 


230  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

ing  under  the  circumstances.  Here  had  been  ap- 
pointed a  meeting  with  Apaches,  for  the  purpose  of 
trade  for  mules.  They  came  early,  headed  by  Red 
Sleeve.  He  said  "the  road  was  opened  forever,  one 
white  man  could  pass  in  safety."  The  trade  was  a 
failure,  the  Indians  being  extravagant  in  their 
demands.  "  At  length  the  call  of  *  boots  and  sad- 
dles *  was  sounded.  The  order,  quickness  and  qui- 
etude of  our  movements  seemed  to  impress  them. 
One  of  the  chiefs,  after  eying  the  General  with 
great  apparent  admiration,  broke  out  in  a  vehement 
,  manner,  *  you  have  taken  New  Mexico,  and  will 
soon  take  California,  go  then  and  take  Chihuahua, 
Durango  and  Sonora.  We  will  help  you.  You 
fight  for  land,  we  care  nothing  for  land  ;  we  fight 
for  the  laws  of  Montezuma  and  for  food.  The  Mex- 
icans are  rascals,  we  hate  and  will  kill  them  all.' 
There  burst  out  the  smothered  fire  of  three  hun- 
dred years  !  Finding  we  were  more  indifferent  than 
they  supposed  to  trade,  .  .  .  they  became  at  once 
eager  for  traffic  .  .  .  My  packs  were  made.  One 
of  the  gentlest  mules  at  that  moment  took  fright, 
and  went  off  like  a  rocket,  on  the  back  trail,  scat- 
tering to  the  right  and  left  all  who  opposed  him.     A 


NEW   MEXICO  AND   CALIFORNIA.  23 1 

large,  elegant  looking  woman,  mounted  a-straddle, 
more  valiant  than  the  rest,  faced  the  brute  and 
charged  upon  him  at  full  speed.  This  turned  his 
course  back  to  camp,  and  I  rewarded  her  with  half- 
a  dozen  biscuits,  and  through  her  intervention,  suc- 
ceeded in  trading  two  broken-down  mules  for  two 
good  ones,  giving  two  yards  of  scarlet  cloth  in  the 
bargain.  By  this  time  a  large  number  of  Indians 
had  collected  about  us,  all  differently  dressed,  and 
some  in  the  most  fantastical  style.  The  Mexican 
dress  and  saddles  predominated,  showing  where 
they  had  chiefly  made  up  their  wardrobe.  One  had 
a  jacket  made  of  a  Henry  Clay  flag,  which  aroused 
unpleasant  sensations,  for  the  acquisition  no  doubt 
cost  one  of  our  countrymen  his  life.  Several  wore 
beautiful  helmets,  decked  with  black  feathers,  which 
with  the  short  shirt,  waist  belt,  bare  legs  and  bus- 
kins, gave  them  the  look  of  pictures  of  antique  Gre- 
cian warriors.  Most  were  furnished  with  the  Mexi- 
can cartridge  box 

"  These  men  have  no  fixed  homes.  Their  houses 
are  of  twigs,  made  easily  and  deserted  with  indiffer- 
ence. They  hover  around  the  beautiful  hills  that 
overhang  the  Del   Norte,  between  the   3i.st  and   32d 


232  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

parallels  of  latitude,  and  look  down  upon  the  states 
of  Chihuahua  and  Sonora,  and  woe  to  the  luckless 
company  that  ventures  out  unguarded  by  a  strong 
force.  Their  hills  are  covered  with  luxuriant  grama, 
which  enables  them  to  keep  their  horses  in  fine 
order,  so  that  they  can  always  pursue  with  rapidity 
and  return  in  safety.  .  .  .  We  wended  our  way 
through  the  narrow  valley  of  Night  Creek.  On  each 
side  were  huge  stone  buttes  shooting  up  into  the 
skies.  At  one  place  we  were  compelled  to  mount 
one  of  these  spurs,  almost  perpendicular  ...  a 
pack  sHpped  from  a  mule,  and  although  not  shaped 
favorably  for  the  purpose,  rolled  entirely  to  the  bot- 
tom of  the  hill,  up  which  the  mules  had  climbed."* 

October  2ist  was  a  bad  day,  the  steep  ascents 
and  descents  causing  the  packs  to  cut  the  animals' 
backs ;  the  howitzers  did  not  reach  camp  ;  one  of 
them,  in  the  dark,  with  its  mule,  rolled  down  into 
a  steep  ravine,  but  without  injury. 

October  23d,  they  passed  one  of  the  famous 
ruins ;  but  the  only  evidences  of  handicraft  remain- 
ing were  immense  quantities  of  broken  pottery,  ex- 
tending for  two  miles  along  the  river. 

*  Notes  of  a  Militar)'  Reconnoissance. 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  233 

Deer  and  beaver,  the  blue  quail,  teal,  etc.,  were 
found  on  the  Upper  Gila. 

Octobe?'  2^th. — "  We  were  now  in  the  regions 
made  famous  in  olden  times,  by  the  fables  of  Friar 
Marcos,  and  eagerly  did  we  ascend  every  mound, 
expecting  to  see  in  the  distance  what  I  fear  is  but 
the  fabulous  *  Casa  Montezuma.*  Once,  as  we 
turned  a  sharp  hill,  the  bold  outline  of  a  castle  pre- 
sented itself,  with  the  tops  of  the  walls  horizontal, 
the  corners  vertical,  and  apparently  one  front  bas- 
tioned.  My  companion  agreed  with  me  that  at 
last  we  beheld  this  famous  building ;  restless  for 
the  show,  I  drew  out  my  telescope,  when  to  my  dis- 
appointment a  clay  butte,  with  regular  horizontal 
seams,  stood  in  the  place  of  our  castle  ;  but  to  the 
naked  eye  the  delusion  was  complete.  The  Indians 
here  do  not  know  the  name  Aztec  ;  Montezuma  is 
the  outward  point  in  their  chronology, — a  name  at 
this  moment  as  familiar  to  every  Indian,  Pueblo, 
Apache  and  Navajo,  as  that  of  our  Savior  or  Wash- 
ington is  to  us.  In  the  person  of  Montezuma  they 
unite  both  qualities  of  divinity  and  patriot. 

*'  We  passed  to-day  the  ruins  of  two  more  villages 
similar  to   those   of  yesterday.     The   foundation   of 


234  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

the  largest  house  seen  yesterday  was  sixty  by  twenty 
feet  ;  to-day,  forty  by  thirty  ;  the  stone  forming  the 
supposed  foundations  was  round  and  unhewn  ;  and 
some  cedar  logs  were  also  found  about  the  houses, 
much  decayed,  bearing  no  mark  of  an  edged  tool."  * 

A  cactus,  first  seen  there,  but  common  further 
south,  was  well  described  as  '*  eighteen  inches  high, 
and  eighteen  inches  in  its  greatest  diameter,  con- 
taining twenty  vertical  volutes,  armed  with  strong 
spines."     They  contain  much  water. 

The  next  day  was  very  severe  upon  the  party ; 
they  were  eight  and  a  half  hours  passing  over  a  rough 
mountain,  several  thousand  feet  above  the  river; 
they  named  it  "  Devil's  turnpike ;"  twelve  or  fifteen 
mules  were  lost.  Opposite  this  day's  journey,  three 
small  rivers  enter  the  Gila,  through  caflons  ;  they  are 
called  the  Black,  the  Blue,  and  the  St.  Charles.  The 
howitzers  got  to  camp  in  the  afternoon  of  the  next 
day.  (These  weigh  only  two  hundred  pounds;  jihe 
wheels  are  three  feet  apart,  and  about  three  feet  four 
inches  in  diameter.) 

Next  day,  soon  clear  of  the  mountain,  there 
was  a  march  of  twenty  miles  along  the  Gila  valley, 

*  Notes  of  a  Military  Reconnoisance. 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  235 

and  the  night  camp  was  opposite  Mount  Graham. 
Along  almost  the  whole  distance  were  found  the 
remains  of  houses  such  as  before  mentioned;  traces 
of  circular  enclosures  of  four  hundred  yards  in 
diameter  ;  the  foundations  of  houses  from  twenty  to 
one  hundred  feet  front ;  but  no  marks  of  edged  tools, 
no  utensils  except  the  remains  of  pottery  of  immense 
amount,  and  the  rude  corn-grinder  used  by  the 
Indians  of  to-day.  "  I  do  not  think  it  improbable 
that  these  ruins  may  be  those  of  comparatively  mod- 
ern Indians,  for  Vanegas  says,  '  The  Father,  Jacob 
Sedelmayer,  in  October,  1744,  set  out  from  his  mis- 
sion, (Tubutuma)  and,  after  travelling  eighty  leagues, 
reached  the  Gila,  where  he  found  six  thousand 
Papagos,  and  near  the  same  number  of  Pimos  and 
Maricopas  ;'  and  the  map  which  he  gives  of  this 
country,  although  very  incorrect,  represents  many 
Indian  settlements  and  missions  on  the  river.  His 
observations,  however,  were  confined  to  that  part  of 
the  Gila  River  near  its  mouth."  * 

October  29th,  they  marched  twenty-one  miles  in 
the  Gila  bottom  grounds  ;  the  whole  plain,  from  three 
to  six  miles    wide,  within    reach  of  irrigation  ;  and 
*  Notes  of  a  Military  Reconnoissance. 


236  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

the  scarce  and  crisp  vegetation  and  plenteous  pottery 
indicated  that  irrigation  must  have  been  used.  "  The 
crimson  tinted  Sierra  Carlos  skirted  the  river  on  the 
north  side  the  whole  day,  and  its  changing  profiles 
formed  subjects  of  study  and  amusement.  Some- 
times we  could  trace  a  Gothic  steeple  ;  then  a  horse  ; 
now  an  old  woman's  face,  and  again  a  veritable 
steamboat;  but  this  required  the  assistance  of  a 
light  smoky  cloud,  drifting  to  the  east,  over  what 
represented  the  chimney  stack." 

Near  this  camp  were  very  large  ruins,  judged  to 
have  been  the  abode  of  five  or  ten  thousand  souls. 

Next  day  a  drove  of  the  Mexican  wild  hogs, 
(peccary)  found  also  in  Texas,  was  chased,  but  with- 
out success.  Several  Indians  appeared  on  a  hill  ; 
they  were  spoken  to  "  but  they  could  not  be  induced 
to  come  into  camp ;  they  have  been  dealt  with  by 
Americans  in  the  employment  of  Chihuahua  ;  who 
have  hunted  them  at  fifty  dollars  a  scalp,  as  we 
would  hunt  wolves  ;  and  one  American  decoyed 
a  large  number  of  their  brethren  in  rear  of  a  wag- 
on to  trade,  and  fired  a  field-piece  among  them.  It  is 
no  wonder  then,  that  two  parties  of  God's  creatures, 
who  never  knew  each  other  before,  should  meet  in  a 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  237 

desert,  and    not    approach    near    enough    to    shake 
hands."* 

October  31st,  after  a  short  march  camp  was 
made  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  San  Francisco 
River.  Carson  with  a  party  went  on  to  explore,  as 
in  coming  from  Cahfornia  he  was  sixty  miles  without 
water,  cut  off  from  the  river  by  impassable  canons. 
The  mules  were  fast  failing  ;  and  the  appearance  of 
three  well  mounted  Apaches  on  a  hill  was  very  wel- 
come. The  Apaches  could  supply  them.  They 
would  only  suffer  themselves  to  be  approached  by 
one  person  ;  after  a  long  parley  by  signs  and  ges- 
tures they  announced  that  their  chief  was  near  with 
mules  which  he  would  bring  in  ;  but  none  came. 

Next  day  there  was  no  alternative,  the  Jornada 
must  be  begun  ;  when  the  river  could  no  longer  be 
followed,  they  grazed  the  animals  a  short  time  on 
luxurious  grama,  filled  every  possible  vessel  with 
water,  and  commenced  the  ascent ;  but,  seven  miles 
up  the  hills,  converging  trails  were  observed,  and 
they  led  to  a  fine  spring,  with  cottonwood  trees 
and  some  poor  grass  ;  there  they  camped,  but  the 
howitzers  did  not  arrive. 

*  Journal  of  Captain  A.  R.  Johnston,  First  Dragoons. 


238  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

"  That  morning  was  first  seen  the  Cereus giganteus^ 
called  in  California  pitahaya  ;  it  is  a  columnar  cactus, 
from  twenty-five  to  sixty  feet  high  :  some  of  them 
have  no  branch.  Next  morning,  when  ready  for  a 
very  early  start,  an  alarm  was  given,  and  a  hill  near 
by  was  seen  to  be  lined  with  horsemen.  They  were 
Apaches ;  one  called  out  in  Spanish,  that  they 
wished  to  have  a  talk ;  '  one  of  you  put  down  his 
rifle  and  come  to  us.'  Londeau,  my  employ^,  im- 
mediately complied  ;  I  followed  ;  but  before  march- 
ing half  way  up  the  steep  hill,  the  Indian  espied  in 
my  jacket  the  handle  of  a  large  horse  pistol.  He 
told  me  I  must  put  down  my  pistol  before  he  would 
meet  me.  I  threw  it  aside  and  proceeded  to  the  top 
of  the  hill,  where,  although  he  was  mounted  and 
surrounded  by  six  or  eight  of  his  own  men,  armed 
with  rifles  and  arrows,  he  received  me  with  great 
agitation.  The  talk  was  long  and  tedious.  I  ex- 
hausted every  argument  to  induce  him  to  come  into 
camp.  His  principal  fear  seemed  to  be  the  howit- 
zers, which  recalled  at  once  to  my  mind  the  story  I 
had  heard  of  the  massacre  by  Johnson.  At  last  a 
bold  young  fellow,  tired  of  the  parley,  threw  down 
his  rifle,  and  with  a  step  which  Forrest  in  Metamora 


NEW    MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  239 

might  have  envied,  strode  off  towards  camp,  piloted 
by  Carson.  We  were  about  to  follow,  when  the 
chief  informed  us  it  would  be  more  agreeable  to  him 
if  we  remained  until  his  warrior  returned. 

"  The  ice  was  now  broken,  most  of  them  seeing 
that  their  comrade  encountered  no  danger,  followed 
one  by  one.  They  said  they  belonged  to  the  tribe 
of  Pifion  Lanos  ;  that  'they  were  simple  in  head,  but 
true  of  heart.'  Presents  were  distributed ;  they 
promised  a  guide  to  a  spring  six  milgs  distant,  over 
the  mountain,  where  they  engaged  to  meet  us  next 
day  with  one  hundred  mules."* 

They  accordingly  followed  the  guide  to  a  good 
camp  in  a  grove  of  sycamore,  with  a  little  water 
there  rising,  and  sinking  within  one  hundred 
yards. 

November  3d,  the  General  was  again  disap- 
pointed ;  the  Indians  came,  but  only  seven  mules 
were  obtained  in  the  whole  day. 

"  Our  visitors  to-day  presented  the  same  motley 
group  we  have  always  found  the  Apaches.  Among 
them  was  a  middle-aged  woman,  whose  garrulity 
and  interference  in  every  trade  was  the  annoyance 

*  Notes  of  a  Military  Reconnoissance. 


240  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

of  Major  Swords,  who  had  charge  of  the  trading, 
but  the  amusement  of  the  bystanders. 

She  had  on  a  gauze-hke  dress,  trimmed  with 
the  richest  and  most  costly  Brussels  lace,  pillaged, 
no  doubt,  from  some  fandango-going  belle  of  So- 
nora  ;  she  straddled  a  fine  grey  horse,  and  when- 
ever her  blanket  dropped  from  her  shoulders,  her 
tawny  form  could  be  seen  through  the  transparent 
gauze.  After  she  had  sold  her  mule,  she  was 
anxious  to  sell  her  horse,  and  careered  about  to 
show  his  qualities.  At  one  time  she  charged  at  full 
speed  up  a  steep  hill.  In  this,  the  fastenings  of  her 
dress  broke  and  her  bare  back  was  exposed  to  the 
crowd,  who  ungallantly  raised  a  shout  of  laughter. 
Nothing  daunted,  she  wheeled  short  round,  with 
surprising  dexterity,  and  seeing  the  mischief  done, 
coolly  slipped  the  dress  from  her  arms  and  tucked 
it  between  her  seat  and  the  saddle.  In  this  state 
of  nudity,  she  rode  through  camp,  until  at  last, 
attaining  the  object  of  her  ambition,  a  soldier's  red 
flannel  shirt,  she  bade  her  adieu  in  that  new 
costume. 

A  boy  about  twelve  years  of  age,  of  uncommon 
beauty,  was  among  our  visitors.     Happy,  cheerful, 


NEW    MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  24.I 

and  contented,  he  was.  consulted  in  every  trade,  and 
seemed  an  idol  with  the  Apaches.  It  required 
little  penetration  to  trace  his  origin  from  the  same 
land  as  the  gauze  of  the  old  woman.  We  tried  to 
purchase  him,  but  he  said  it  was  long,  long,  since  he 
was  captured,  and  that  he  had  no  desire  to  leave 
his  master,  who,  he  was  certain,  would  not  sell  him 
for  any  money.  All  attempts  were  vain,  and  the 
lad  seemed  gratified  both  at  the  offer  to  purchase, 
and  the  refusal  to  sell."  * 

Next  day  they  reached  the  Gila  in  about  twenty- 
five  miles  ;  they  passed  several  hollows  among  the 
hills,  where  were  observed  sycamore,  oak,  willow, 
cherry,  mezquit,  senna,  cactus,  agave,  hackberry,  ash, 
walnut,  zola,  cedar,  pine,  black  gum  and  grape  vines. 
They  crossed  large  fresh  trails  of  cattle,  driven  from 
Sonora. 

The  camp  was  so  bad,  that,  although  the  howit- 
zers had  not  arrived  on  the  5th,  the  march  was  con- 
tinued some  ten  miles.  Passing  the  foot  of  Saddle 
Mountain,  the  bed  of  a  dry  stream  was  followed  to 
the  San  Pedro  River,  which  was  crossed  and  camp 
was  made  a  mile  from  its   mouth.     Its  valley  was 

*  Notes  of  a  Military  Reconnoissance. 
IT 


242  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

wide  and  covered  with  a  dense  growth  of  mezquit, 
Cottonwood  and  willow ;  but  the  stream  was  found 
very  narrow  and  only  a  foot  deep, — smaller  than  one 
hundred  miles  above. 

The  bed  of  the  dry  stream  they  had  followed, 
was  the  road  of  the  Apache  raiding  parties ;  it  was 
"  deeply  cut  and  turned  at  sharp  angles,  forming  a 
zigzag  like  the  bayoux  laid  by  sappers  in  approach- 
ing a  fortress,  each  turn  of  which,  (and  they  were 
innumerable)  formed  a  strong  defensive  position. 
The  Apache  once  in  possession  of  them  is  secure 
from  pursuit  or  invasion  from  the  Mexican."  It 
was  a  highway  leading  from  the  plains  of  Santa 
Anna,  Santa  Cruz  and  Tucson,  and  distinctly 
marked  by  a  fresh  trail  of  horses,  cattle  and  mules. 
"  Nature  had  done  her  utmost  to  favor  a  condition 
of  things  which  has  enabled  a  savage  and  uncivil- 
ized tribe,  armed  with  the  bow  and  lance,  to  hold  as 
tributary  powers  three  fertile  and  once  flourishing 
states,  Chihuahua,  Sonora,  and  Durango,  peopled 
by  a  Christian  race,  countrymen  of  the  immortal 
Cortez." 

A  day  was  passed  in  this  camp,  on  the  San  Pedro, 
to  wait  for  the  howitzers,  and  to  recruit  the  mules. 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  243 

The  miserable  plight  of  these  last  gave  serious 
doubt  of  the  success  of  the  expedition.  They  were 
five  hundred  miles  from  any  white  settlement,  and 
with  a  probable  dependence  upon  their  animals  for 
subsistence,  as  well  as  transportation. 

*'  In  the  sandy  arroyas  .  .  that  look  as  if  they 
had  been  formed  but  a  year  or  two  since,  was  broken 
pottery,  and  the  remains  of  a  large  building,  similar 
in  form,  substance  and  apparent  antiquity,  to  those 
so  often  described  ;  .  .  .  my  thoughts  went 
back  to  the  States  .  .  .  and  I  was  struck  most 
forcibly  with  the  fact  that  not  one  object  in  the 
whole  view,  animal,  vegetable,  or  mineral,  had  any- 
thing in  common  with  the  products  of  any  State  in 
the  Union,  with  the  single  exception  of  the  cotton- 
wood.  .  .  The  only  animals  seen,  were  lizards, 
scorpions  and  tarantulas." 

On  the  7th  they  advanced  seventeen  miles  in 
the  wide  bottom  of  the  Gila.  There  were  many 
geese,  blue  quail  and  turkeys  ;  signs  of  deer,  beaver, 
and  the  musk  hog.  Three  Indians  were  seen,  and 
induced  to  enter  the  camp  ;  after  feasting  heartily, 
they  departed  with  a  promise  to  bring  mules  ;  but 
meeting   the    howitzers,    they   were    so    filled    with 


244  THE  CONQUEST   OF 

astonishment,  that  they  followed  the   guns  to  camp 
in  mute  wonder. 

The  next  day  was  through  a  canon  of  the  Gila ; 
and  there  was  much  obstruction  from  sand,  and 
dense  growth  of  willow.  *'  Our  course  was  traversed 
by  a  seam  of  yellowish  colored  igneous  rock,  shoot- 
ing up  into  irregular  spires  and  turrets,  one  or  two 
thousand  feet  in  height.  It  ran  at  right  angles  to 
the  river,  and  extended  to  the  north,  and  to  the 
south,  in  a  chain  of  mountains  as  far  as  the  eye 
could  reach.  One  of  these  towers  was  capped  with  a 
substance  many  hundred  feet  thick,  disposed  in  hor- 
izontal strata  of  different  colors,  from  deep  red  to 
bright  yellow. 

"  At  night  for  the  first  time  since  leaving  Pawnee 
Fork,  I  was  interrupted  for  a  moment  in  my  observa- 
tions, by  moisture  on  the  glass  of  my  horizontal 
shade,  showing  a  degree  of  humidity  in  the  atmos- 
phere not  before  existing.  .  .  The  effect  of  the 
night's  dampness  was  felt  in  the  morning,  for,  although 
the  thermometer  was  only  thirty-seven  degrees,  the 
cold  was  more  sensible  than  in  the  dry  regions  at 
twenty-five  degrees."* 

*  "  Notes  of  a  Military  Reconnoissance." 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  245 

In  leaving  the  mountains,  where  the  grass  was  a 
set-off  for  rugged  obstacles,  the  want  of  it  became  a 
serious  danger.  On  the  9th,  they  fell  upon  fresh 
trails  of  horses,  which  they  supposed  might  be  those 
of  General  Castro,  who,  Carson  had  informed  them, 
was  to  go  to  Sonora, — of  which  the  settlements  were 
not  distant — for  recruits,  and  to  return. 

Casa  de  Montezuma. 

November  loth. — "  The  valley  on  the  southern 
side  of  the  Gila  still  grows  wider.  About  the  time 
of  the  noon  halt,  a  large  pile,  which  seemed  the 
work  of  human  hands,  was  seen  to  the  left.  It  was 
the  remains  of  a  three  story  mud  house,  sixty  feet 
square,  pierced  for  doors  and  windows.  The  walls 
four  feet  thick,  and  formed  by  layers  of  mud  two 
feet  thick ;  it  was  no  doubt  built  by  the  same  race 
that  had  once  t'hickly  peopled  this  territory,  and 
left  behind  the  ruins. 

''  The  charred  ends  of  the  cedar  joists  were  still 
in  the  wall.  I  examined  them,  and  found  they  had 
not  been  cut  with  a  steel  instrument ;  the  joists  were 
round  sticks  ;  there  were  four  entrances — the  doors 
about  four  feet  by  two — the   rooms  had  the  same  ar- 


246  THE  CONQUEST   OF 

rangement  on  each  story  ;  there  was  no  sign  of  a  fire- 
place in  the  building ;  the  walls  had  been  smoothed 
outside  and  plastered  inside,  and  the  surface  still 
remained  firm,  although  it  was  evident  they  had 
been  exposed  to  great  heat  from  the  fire.  There 
were  the  remains  of  the  walls  of  four  buildings,  and 
the  piles  of  earth  showing  where  many  others  had 
been.  A  few  yards  further  was  a  terrace  one  hun- 
dred yards  by  seventy,  upon  this  was  a  pyramid 
about  eight  feet  high,  and  twenty-five  yards  square 
at  top.  From  this,  sitting  on  my  horse,  I  could 
overlook  the  vast  plain,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Gila  ; 
the  ground  in  view  was  about  fifteen  miles,  all  of 
which,  it  would  seem,  had  been  irrigated  by  the  waters 
of  the  Gila.  I  picked  up  a  broken  crystal  of  quartz  in 
one  of  these  piles.  Leaving  the  '  casa,'  I  turned  to- 
wards the  Pimos,  and  travelling  at  random  over  the 
plain,  now  covered  with  mezquit,  the  piles  of  earth  and 
pottery  showed  for  hours  in  every  direction.  I  also 
found  the  remains  of  a  zequia,  which  followed  the 
range  of  houses  for  miles.  It  had  been  very  large. 
When  I  got  to  camp,  I  found  them  on  good  grass 
and  in  communication  with  the  Pimos,  who  came 
out  with  a  frank  welcome.     Their  answer  to  Carson, 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  247 

when  he  went  up  and  asked  for  provisions,  was 
'  bread  is  to  eat,  not  to  sell,  take  what  you  want.' 
The  General  asked  a  Pimo  who  made  the  house  I 
had  seen.  'It  is  the  Casa  de  Montezuma;'  said  he, 
'  It  was  built  by  the  son  of  the  most  beautiful 
woman,  who  once  dwelt  in  yon  mountain  ;  she  was 
fair,  and  all  the  handsome  men  came  to  court  her, 
but  in  vain  ;  when  they  came  they  paid  tribute,  and 
out  of  this  small  store  she  fed  all  the  people  in  times 
of  famine,  and  it  did  not  diminish.  At  last  as  she  lay 
asleep,  a  drop  of  rain  fell  upon  her  navel,  and  she 
became  pregnant,  and  brought  forth  a  boy  who  was 
the  builder  of  all  these  houses.'  He  seemed  un- 
willing to  talk  about  them,  but  said  there  were 
many  more  of  them  to  the  north,  south-west,  etc. ; 
...  he  said  this  casa  had  been  burnt  too  long  ago 
for  any  of  them  to  remember."  * 

I  venture  an  opinion  which  ardent  archaeologists 
may  scout,  that  we  need  only  look  to  the  not  very 
remote  ancestry  of  the  tribes  now  found  in  Zufii, 
Acoma,  etc.,  and  the  Pueblos  of  New  Mexico, — as 
Pecos  and  San  Domingo, — for  the  architects  and 
inhabiters  of  all  these  ruins  and  remains. 

*  Journal  of  Captain  A.  R.  Johnston,  First  Dragoons,  A.  D.  C. 


248  THE  CONQUEST  OF 

The  General  obtained  of  the  Pimos  a  sufficiency 
of  corn  and  wheat  and  beans,  but  only  two  or  three 
bullocks,  and  no  mules  or  horses.  They  had  only 
steers  for  tillage,  procured  from  the  Mexicans. 

*'  To  us  it  was  a  rare  sight  to  be  thrown  in  the 
midst  of  a  large  nation  of  what  are  termed  wild  Indi- 
ans, surpassing  many  of  the  Christian  nations  in 
agriculture,  little  behind  them  in  the  useful  arts,  and 
immeasurably  before  them  in  honesty  and  virtue. 
During  the  whole  of  yesterday,  our  camp  was  full 
of  men,  women,  and  children,  who  sauntered  among 
our  packs,  unwatched,  and  not  a  single  instance  of 
theft  was  reported."  * 

The  Maricopas,  some  on  foot,  but  mostly  on 
horseback,  came  at  full  speed  to  their  lower  camp ; 
unarmed  and  in  the  most  confident  manner,  bringing 
watermelons,  meal,  pinole  and  salt, — this  last  taken 
from  the  plains.  A  pair  of  spectacles  was  a  cause 
of  much  amusement ;  the  women  had  an  idea  that 
the  wearer  could  see  through  their  cotton  blankets, 
but  at  length  a  pair  being  put  upon  an  old  woman, 
she  became  acquainted  with  their  use,  and  ex- 
plained it  to  the  others. 

*  *'  Notes  of  a  Military  Reconnoissance." 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  249 

November  14th  and  15th,  the  General  made  the 
Jornada  of  forty-three  miles  across  the  bend  of  the 
Gila,  losing  six  or  eight  mules  from  exhaustion,  and 
want  of  water.  They  halted  then  a  day,  and  found 
the  remains  of  a  zequia  and  much  broken  pottery. 
It  was  probably  the  work  of  the  Maricopas,  who  are 
known  to  have  moved  gradually  up  from  the  Gulf. 

November  22d. — *'  Most  of  the  men  were  on  foot, 
and  a  small  party  composed  chiefly  of  the  General 
and  staff,  were  a  long  way  ahead  of  the  straggling 
column,  when,  as  we  approached  the  end  of  our 
day's  journey,  every  man  was  straightened  in  his 
saddle  by  our  suddenly  falling  on  a  camp,  which  from 
the  trail,  we  estimated  at  one  thousand  men,  who 
must  have  left  that  morning.  Speculation  was  rife, 
but  we  all  soon  settled  down  upon  the  opinion  that 
it  was  General  Castro  and  his  troops ;  that  he  had 
succeeded  in  recruiting  an  army  in  Sonora,  and  was 
now  on  his  return  to  California.  Carson  expressed 
his  belief  that  he  must  be  only  ten  miles  below,  at 
the  crossing.  Our  force  consisted  of  only  one  hun- 
dred and  ten  men.  The  General  decided  we  were 
too  few  to  be  attacked,  and  must  be  the  aggressive 
party,  and  if  Castro's  camp  could  be  found,  that  he 
II* 


250  THE   CONQUEST   OF 


would  attack  it  the  moment  night  set  in,  and  beat 

them 

force. 


them   before    it   was  hght  enough   to   discover  our 


*'  The  position  of  our  camp  was  decided,  as  usual, 
with  reference  to  the  grass.  The  lives  of  our  ani- 
mals were  nearly  as  important  as  our  own."  * 

A  party  was  sent  at  dark,  and  it  succeeded  in 
capturing  four  Mexicans.  It  turned  out  that  the 
alarm  had  been  caused  by  a  few  soldiers  and  others, 
and  their  drove  of  five  hundred  horses  from  Califor- 
nia, for  the  use  of  Castro  in  Sonora.  The  four  men, 
examined  separately,  told  each  a  different  story. 
One  of  them,  tall  and  venerable  in  appearance, 
reported  himself  to  be  the  poor  employe  of  a  rich 
man  supplying  the  Sonora  market  with  horses.  It 
was  afterwards  ascertained  that  he  was  a  colonel  of 
the  Mexican  army. 

The  General  remained  there  next  day,  attempt- 
ing to  remount  his  escort  from  the  captured  horses. 
And  then  a  courier  with  a  mail  from  California  fell 
into  his  hands  ;  he  bore  letters  to  General  Castro 
and  other  men  of  note  in  Sonora,  and  thus  Kearny 
was  informed  of  the  counter  revolution  in  California. 
*  "  Notes  of  a  Military  Reconnoissance." 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  25 1 

"  Captain  Flores  was  named  as  the  general  and 
governor  pro  tern.,  and  the  enthusiasm  of  the 
people  was  described  as  overflowing  in  the  cause  of 
emancipation  from  the  Yankee  yoke.  One  letter 
gave  a  minute  and  detailed  account  of  a  victory- 
stated  to  have  been  obtained  over  the  Americans. 
It  stated  that  four  hundred  and  fifty  men  landed  at 
San  Pedro,  and  were  met,  defeated,  and  driven  back 
to  the  fort  at  San  Pedro.  .  .  We  also  learned 
that  the  horses  captured  were  in  part  for  General 
Castro.  Nothing  more  was  wanting  to  legitimize 
our  capture,  and  Captain  Moore  was  directed  to 
remount  his  men."* 

The  Mexicans  were  very  dexterous  in  evading 
inquiries;  one  of  them,  an  acquaintance  of  Carson, 
was  well  plied  with  brandy ;  but  the  most  that 
could  be  extorted  from  him,  was  the  advice  not  to 
march  directly  upon  Los  Angeles. 

^'  The  captured  horses  were  all  wild  and  but 
little  adapted  for  immediate  service  ;  but  there  was 
rare  sport  in  catching  them,  and  we  saw  for  the  first 
time  the  lazo  thrown  with  inimitable  skill.  It  is  a 
saying  in  Chihuahua  that  a   '  Californian  can  throw 

*  "Notes  of  a  Military  Reconnoissance." 


252  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

the  lazo  as  well  with  his  foot  as  the  Mexican  can 
with  his  hand,'  and  the  scene  before  us  gave  us  an 
idea  of  its  truth.  There  was  a  wild  stallion  of  great 
beauty  which  defied  the  fleetest  horse  and  the  most 
expert  rider.  At  length  a  boy  of  fourteen,  a  Cali- 
fornian,  whose  graceful  riding  was  a  constant  subject 
of  admiration^  piqued  by  repeated  failures,  mounted 
a  fresh  horse,  and  followed  by  an  Indian,  launched 
fiercely  at  the  stallion. 

His  lariat  darted  from  his  hand  with  the  force 
and  precision  of  a  rifle  ball,  and  rested  on  the  neck 
of  the  fugitive  ;  the  Indian,  at  the  same  moment, 
made  a  successful  throw,  but  the  stallion  was  too 
stout  for  both,  and  dashed  off  at  full  speed,  with 
both  ropes  flying  in  the  air  like  wings.  The  perfect 
representation  of  Pegasus,  he  took  a  sweep,  and 
followed  by  his  pursuers,  came  thundering  down  the 
dry  bed  of  the  river.  The  lazos  were  now  trailing  on 
the  ground,  and  the  gallant  young  Spaniard,  taking 
advantage  of  the  circumstance,  stooped  from  his 
flying  horse  and  caught  one  in  his  hand.  It  was  the 
work  of  a  moment  to  make  it  fast  to  the  pommel  of 
his  saddle,  and  by  a  short  turn  of  his  own  horse,  he 


NEW    MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  253 

threw  the  stalHon  a  complete  somersault,  and  the 
game  was  secure.""^ 

November  25th,  the  river  was  forded  at  the 
same  place,  ten  miles  below  the  Gila's  mouth,  that 
the  Mormon  battalion  passed  forty-six  days  later, 
some  of  the  horses  swimming  when  its  crooked 
course  was  lost ;  they  camped  fifteen  miles  below, 
at  the  first  well,  where  only  the  men  got  water. 
Next  day  they  reached  the  Alamo  Mocho  well, 
twenty-four  miles,  at  4  P.  M. ;  they  had  much  work 
to  deepen  the  well  before  water  was  reached  ;  an 
old  champagne  basket,  first,  and  then  a  basket  work 
of  willow  twigs,  was  used  to  prevent  caving  sand. 
The  evening  and  night  were  spent  in  w^atering  the 
animals,  which  had  made  two  marches  without 
drinking. 

The  following  morning  they  marched  very  early, 
and  in  forty  miles  reached  at  8  o'clock  P.  M.  a  salt 
lake,  of  which  contradictory  accounts  had  been 
received;  it  was  found  surrounded  by  a  thick  quag- 
mire, and  the  water  wholly  unfit  for  any  use. 
After  a  (qw  hours'  rest,  the  animals  browsing  at  a 
few  mezquit  trees,  they  marched  on  in  the  dark,  but 

*  "Notes  of  a  Military  Reconnoissance." 


254  THE  CONQUEST   OF 

were  favored  after  sunrise,  by  a  heavy  fog  for  two 
hours,  which  proved  refreshing;  but  "the  stoutest 
animals  now  began  to  stagger,  and  when  day 
dawned  scarcely  a  man  was  seen  mounted."  At 
noon  the  Cariza  was  reached. 

November  29,  the  grass  being  bad,  and  rations 
nearly  exhausted,  the  march  was  continued  at  a 
*'  snail's  pace,"  and  that  night  a  horse  was  killed  for 
food,  which  was  eaten  with  great  appetite,  and  all 
of  it  consumed.  They  were  compelled  to  remain  in 
camp  next  day. 

December  2d,  the  General  arrived  at  Warner's 
rancho,  and  learned  *'  that  the  Mexicans  were  still 
in  the  possession  of  the  whole  country  except  San 
Diego,  San  Francisco,  and  Monterey  ;  that  we  were 
near  the  heart  of  the  enemy's  stronghold,  whence 
he  drew  his  supplies  of  men,  cattle,  and  horses,  and 
that  we  were  now  in  possession  of  the  great  pass  to 
Sonora,  by  which  he  expected  to  retreat  if  defeated, 
to  send  his  prisoners  if  successful,  and  to  communi- 
cate with  Mexico. 

"To  appease  hunger,  however,  was  the  first 
consideration.  Seven  of  my  men  ate  at  one  single 
meal,  a  fat  full  grown  sheep." 


NEW    MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  255 

A  Mr.  Stokes,  who  lived  fifteen  miles  on  the 
road  to  San  Diego,  was  sent  for  and  came  ;  ''  his 
dress  was  a  black  velvet  English  hunting  coat,  a 
pair  of  black  velvet  trowsers,  cut  off  at  the  knees 
and  open  on  the  outside  to  the  hip,  beneath  which 
were  drawers  of  spotless  white ;  his  leggings  were  of 
black  buckskin,  and  his  heels  armed  with  spurs  six 
inches  long.  Above  the  whole  bloomed  the  merry 
face  of  Mr  Stokes,  the  Englishman.  He  was  very 
frank,  proclaimed  himself  a  neutral,  but  gave  all  the 
information  he  possessed,  which  was,  that  Commo- 
dore Stockton  was  in  possession  of  San  Diego,  and 
that  all  the  country  between  that  place  and  Santa 
Barbara  was  in  possession  of  the  '  country  people  ; ' 
he  stated  he  was  going  to  San  Diego  the  next 
morning.  The  General  gave  him  a  letter  for  that 
place.""^ 

Information  was  received  that  there  was  a  band 
of  horses  and  mules  fifteen  miles  on  the  road  to  Los 
Angeles,  belonging  to  General  Flores.  Lieutenant 
Davidson  and  fifteen  men,  accompanied  by  Carson, 
were  sent  at  nightfall  to  capture  them.  The  party 
returned  successful  next  day,  December  3d,  at  noon; 

*  "  Notes  of  a  Military  Reconnoissance." 


256  THE  CONQUEST   OF 

but  the  animals  were  found  to  be  mostly  unbroken, 
and  so,  little  serviceable. 

December  ^th, — The  General  marched  in  a  rain 
which  lasted  all  day ;  he  camped  at  Mr.  Stokes' 
place,  in  the  valley  of  the  San  Isabel  River,  which 
was  formerly  a  mission. 

Next  day  they  marched  to  the  rancheria  of  Santa 
Maria  ;  where  it  was  learned  that  the  enemy  was  in 
force,  nine  miles  distant  ;  it  was  after  dark,  but  there 
being  no  grass,  they  went  two  miles  further  and 
camped  in  a  canon.  On  the  way  they  met  Cap- 
tain Gillespie,  Lieutenant  Beale,  and  Midshipman 
Duncan  of  the  navy,  with  a  party  of  thirty-five  men, 
sent  from  San  Diego  with  a  dispatch  for  General 
Kearny. 

The  following  is  from  the  General's  official 
report : — 

"Having  learned  from  Captain  Gillespie,  of  the  volunteers, 
that  there  was  an  armed  party  of  Californians  at  San  Pascual, 
three  leagues  distant,  ...  I  sent  Lieutenant  Hammond,  First 
Dragoons,  with  a  few  men  to  make  areconnoissance  of  them. 
He  returned  at  two  in  the  morning  of  the  6th  instant,  reporting 
that  he  had  found  the  party  in  the  place  mentioned,  and  that 
he  had  been  seen,  though  not  pursued  by  them.  I  then  deter- 
mined that  I  would  march  for,  and  attack  them'  by  break  of 
day ;  arrangements  were  accordingly  made  for  the  purpose. 
My  aid-de-camp,  Captain  Johnston,  First  Dragoons,  was  as- 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  257 

signed  to  the  command  of  the  advanced  guard  of  twelve 
dragoons  mounted  on  the  best  horses  w^e  had  ;  then  followed 
about  fifty  dragoons  under  Captain  Moore,  mounted,  but,  with 
few  exceptions,  on  the  tired  mules  they  had  ridden  from  Santa 
Fe,  ten  hundred  and  fifty  miles  ;  then  about  twenty  volunteers 
of  Captain  Gibson's  company  under  his  command  and  that  of 
Captain  Gillespie ;  then  followed  our  two  mountain  howitzers 
with  dragoons  to  manage  them,  and  under  the  command  of 
Lieutenant  Davidson  of  the  regiment.  .  .  As  the  day,  December 
6th.  dawned,  we  approached  the  enemy  at  San  Pascual,  who 
was  already  in  the  saddle,  when  Captain  Johnston  made  a  fu- 
rious charge  upon  them  with  his  advanced  guard,  and  was  in 
a  short  time  after  supported  by  the  dragoons,  soon  after  which 
the  enemy  gave  way,  having  kept  up  from  the  beginning  a  con- 
tinual fire  upon  us.  Upon  the  retreat  of  the  enemy,  Captain 
Moore  led  off  rapidly  in  pursuit,  accompanied  by  the  dragoons 
mounted  on  horses,  and  was  followed,  though  slowly,  by  the  oth- 
ers on  their  tired  mules.  The  enemy,  well  mounted  and  among 
the  best  horsemen  in  the  world,  after  retreating  about  half  a  mile, 
and  seeing  an  interval  between  Captain  Moore  with  his  advance 
and  the  dragoons  coming  to  his  support,  rallied  their  whole 
force,  charged  with  their  lances,  and  on  account  of  their  greatly- 
superior  numbers,  but  few  of  us  in  front  remained  untouched  ;* 
for  five  minutes  they  held  the  ground  from  us,  when  our  men 
coming  up,  we  again  drove  them,  and  they  fled  from  the  field 
not  to  return  to  it,  which  we  occupied  and  encamped  upon, 
A  most  melancholy  duty  now  remaii\s  for  me ;  it  is  to  report 
the  death  of  my  aid-de-camp.  Captain  Johnston,  who  was  shot 
dead  at  the  commencement  of  the  action  ;  of  Captain  Moore, 
who  was  lanced  just  previous  to  the  final  retreat  of  the  enemy; 
and  of  Lieutenant  Hammond,  also  lanced,  who  survived  but  a 
few  hours.  We  also  had  killed,  two  sergeants,  two  corporals, 
and  ten  privates  of  the  first  dragoons  ;  one  private  of  the  vol- 
unteers, and   one    engaged  in  the    topographical  department. 

*  Their   number  was  thirty-eight ;  all  of  whom  save  two,  were 
killed  or  wounded. 


258  THE  CONQUEST  OF 

Among  the  wounded  are  myself,  (in  two  places)  Lieutenant 
Warner,  topographical  engineers,  (in  three  places,)  Captain 
Gillespie  and  Captain  Gibson,  of  the  volunteers,  (the  former  in 
three  places,)  one  sergeant,  bugler  and  nine  privates  of  the  dra- 
goons ;  many  of  them  receiving  from  two  to  ten  lance  wounds, 
most  of  them  when  unhorsed  and  incapable  of  resistance.  Our 
howitzers  were  not  brought  into  the  action,  but  coming  to  the 
front  at  the  close  of  it,  before  they  were  turned  so  as  to  admit 
of  being  fired  upon  the  retreating  enemy,  the  two  mules  before 
one  of  them  got  alarmed  and  freeing  themselves  from  their  dri- 
vers ran  off  among  the  enenny  and  were  thus  lost  to  us.  The 
enemy  proved  to  be  a  party  of  about  one  hundred  and  sixty 
Californians,  under  Andreas  Pico,  brother  of  the  late  governor." 

Thanks  are  returned  for  their  gallantry,  particu- 
larly to  Captain  Turner,  first  dragoons,  A.  A.  A.  G., 
and  to  Lieutenant  Emory.  The  General's  wounds 
were  so  serious,  that  during  the  day  Captain  Turner 
was  in  command  ;  the  ground  was  so  rough  with 
rocks  and  cacti,  that  it  was  difficult  to  find  a  smooth 
place  even  for  the  wounded.  The  dead  were  buried 
that  night,  as  secretly  as  possible,  for  fear  of  the  dis- 
turbance and  robbery  of  the  bodies,  '*  with  no  other 
accompaniment  than  the  bowlings  of  myriads  of 
wolves." 

Early  In  the  day  messengers  had  been  sent,  by  a 
circuitous  route,  to  San  Diego,  thirty-nine  miles  dis- 
tant, for  wheel  carriages  for  the  use  of  the  wounded. 
"  Our  provisions  were  exhausted,  our  horses  dead, 


OF  TBCB 

XJNIVERSITY 
NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALi^d^lSJAOR]^ 


our  mules   on   their  last  legs,  and  our  men,  now  re- 
duced  to   one-third  of  their  number,  were   ragged, 
worn  down  by  fatigue,  and  emaciated."  * 
The  General's  report  continues  : — 

"  On  the  morning  of  the  7th,  having  made  ambulancse 
for  our  wounded  ...  we  proceeded  on  our  march,  when 
the  enemy  showed  himself,  occupying  the  hills  in  our  front, 
which  they  left  as  we  approached,  till  reaching  San  Bernardo  a 
party  of  them  took  possession  of  a  hill  near  to  it  and  maintained 
their  position  until  attacked  by  our  advance,  who  quickly  drove 
them  from  it,  killing  and  wounding  five  of  their  number  with  no 
loss  on  our  part." 

The  captured  hill  was  kept  possession  of;  the 
cattle  had  been  lost  in  this  attack. 

December  8th,  water  was  bored  for,  and  the  fattest 
of  the  mules  was  killed  for  meat.  That  day,  under  a 
flag  of  truce,  one  of  the  messengers  to  San  Diego 
captured  on  his  return,  was  exchanged.  It  was  un- 
derstood that  these  messengers  brouoht  back  a  writ- 
ten  refusal  of  aid ;  certainly  no  aid  came ;  the  ex- 
changed man  stated  he  had  hid  a  dispatch  at  a  certain 
tree  pointed  out  ;  but  the  dispatch  could  not,  after- 
ward, be  found.  It  was  twenty-nine  miles  to  San 
Diego.  It  was  impossible  to  remove  the  wounded 
until  they  could  ride,  in  the  presence  of  such  superior 
numbers,  and  that  night  Lieutenant  Beale,  of  the 
*  "Notes  of  a  Military  Reconnoissance." 


26o  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

Navy,*  Carson,  and  an  Indian,  volunteered  and  went 
to  San  Diego  ;  it  was  a  dangerous  undertaking,  as  the 
enemy  occupied  all  the  roads.  That  day  "  the  brave 
Sergeant  Cox,"  who  had  died  of  his  wounds,  was 
buried. 

Two  more  days  passed  without  aid  for  this  crip- 
pled, encumbered  band, — surrounded  by  an  increas- 
ing horde  of  enemies.  December  loth,  ''  The  enemy 
attacked  our  camp,  driving  before  them  a  band  of 
wild  horses,  with  which  they  hoped  to  produce  a 
stampede.  Our  men  behaved  with  admirable  cool- 
ness, turning  off  the  v/ild  animals  dexterously.  Two 
or  th'ree  of  the  fattest  were  killed  in  the  charge,  and 
formed,  in  the  shape  of  a  gravy-soup,  an  agreeable  sub- 
stitute for  the  poor  steaks  of  our  worn  down  brutes, 
on  which  we  had  been  feeding  for  a  number  of  days.f 

♦Since  Minister  to  Austria. 

f  "  Notes  of  a  Military  Reconnoissance."  The  following  is  also 
extracted, — occurring  the  night  of  the  8th :  "  Don  Antonio  Ro- 
bideaux,  a  thin  man  of  fifty-five  years,  slept  next  to  me.  The  loss 
of  blood  from  his  wounds,  added  to  the  coldness  of  the  night,  twenty- 
eight  degrees  Fahrenheit,  made  me  think  he  would  never  see  day- 
light, but  I  was  mistaken.  He  woke  me  to  ask  if  I  did  not  smell 
coffee,  and  expressed  the  belief  that  a  cup  of  that  beverage  would 
save  his  life,  and  that  nothing  else  would.  Not  knowing  that  there 
had  been  any  coffee  in  camp  for  many  days,  I  supposed  a  dream  had 
carried  him  back  to  the  cafes  of  St  Louis  and  New  Orleans,  and  it 
was  with  some  surprise  that  I  found  my  cook  heating  a  cup  of  coffee 


NEW   MEXICO  AND   CALIFORNIA.  26 1 

The  same  day  the  surgeon,  Griffin,  reported  that 
all  the  wounded  but  two,  would  be  able  to  ride. 

There  was  so  little  expectation  of  Lieutenant 
Beale's  success  that  the  General  ordered  every 
incumbrance  including  great-coats,  to  be  burned ; 
and  all  preparation  to  be  made  for  the  march  next 
morning. 

"  We  were  all  reposing  quietly,  but  not  sleeping, 
waiting  for  the  break  of  day,  when  we  were  to  go 
down  and  give  the  enemy  anather  defeat.  .  .  .  The 
tramp  of  a  column  was  heard,  followed  by  the  hail 
of  a  sentinel. 

"  It  was  a  detachment  of  one  hundred  tars  and 
eighty  marines  under  Lieutenant  Gray,  sent  to 
meet  us  by  Commodore  Stockton,  from  whom  we 
learned  that  Lieutenant  Beale,  Carson  and  the  Indian 

over  a  small  fire  made  of  wild  sage.  One  of  the  most  agreeable 
little  offices  performed  in  my  life,  and  I  believe  in  the  cook's,  to 
whom  the  coffee  belonged,  was  to  pour  the  precious  draught  into  the 
waning  body  of  our  friend  Robideaux.'  His  warmth  returned,  and 
with  it  hopes  of  life.  In  gratitude  he  gave  me  the  half  of  a  cake 
made  of  brown  flour,  almost  black  with  dirt,  and  which  had,  for 
greater  security,  been  hidden  in  the  clothes  of  his  Mexican  servant, 
a  man  who  scorned  ablutions.  I  ate  moi-e  than  half  without  inspec- 
tion, when,  on  breaking  a  piece,  the  bodies  of  several  of  the  most 
loathsome  insects  were  exposed  to  my  view.  My  hunger,  however, 
overcame  my  fastidiousness,  and  the  morceau  did  not  appear  par- 
ticularly disgusting." 


262  THE  CONQUEST  OF 

had  arrived  safely  in  San  Diego.  The  detachment 
left  San  Diego  on  the  night  of  the  9th,  cached  them- 
selves during  the  day  of  the  loth,  and  joined  us  on 
the  night  of  that  day.  These  gallant  fellows  busied 
themselves  till  day  distributing  their  provisions  and 
clothes  to  our  naked  and  hungry  people."  * 

This  junction  was  a  surprise  to  the  Californians, 
and  when  the  sun  rose  on  the  nth,  only  a  squad  of 
them  was  to  be  seen  ;  and  in  retiring  they  had  left 
most  of  the  cattle  behind,  although  none  of  General 
Kearny's  force  were  now  mounted.  It  was  ascer- 
tained that  one  hundred  and  eighty  Californians 
were  engaged  at  San  Pascual,  and  that  one  hundred 
additional  joined  them  next  day  from  the  Pueblo 
of  Los  Angeles. 

December  12th,  General  Kearny  reached  San 
Diego. 

The  frigate  Congress  and  sloop  Portsmouth  were 
at  the  anchorage  opposite  the  hide  ware-houses  two 
miles  from  the  village ;  this  consisted  of  a  few  adobe 
houses,  only  two  or  three,  of  all,  with  plank  floors. 
*  *'  Notes  of  a  Military  Reconnoissance." 


V. 

FINAL  CONQUEST   OF   CALIFORNIA. 

'THHUS  General  Kearny  had  found  that  the  Cali- 
fornians,  having  thought  better  of  their  first 
apparent  submission — which  was  the  result  of  sur- 
prise, and  their  habitual  acquiescence  in  pronuncia- 
mentos  and  revolutions — had  thrown  off,  by  force  of 
arms,  near  three  months  previously,  the  foreign 
yoke ;  that  of  the  whole  great  Territory,  only  three 
small  villages  on  the  coast  were  dominated  by  the 
navy,  which  had  ceased  all  further  efforts,  appar- 
ently vain  enough.  He  had  fought  the  first  battle 
of  the  real  conquest^ 

Now  his  first  thoughts  were  not  of  title,  of  rank, 
and  right  of  command  in  the  Territory,  but  patri- 
otic and  unselfish.  His  lance  wounds  soon  heal- 
ing, he  suggested  and  then  patiently  continued  to 
urge  on  Commodore  Stockton  that  action  must  be 
taken  ;  that  the  naval  force  which  could  be  spared 
to  act  on   land,  his  few  dragoons   and  some   volun- 


264  THE   CONQUEST  OF 

teers  should  attempt  a  campaign ;  should  march 
into  the  heart  of  the  most  inimical  district,  and 
attack  and  recover  the  capital,  the  Ciudad  de  Los 
Angeles. 

He  finally  prevailed,  and  Commodore  Stockton 
consented. 

December  29th,  1846,  General  Kearny  and  Com- 
modore Stockton  marched  from  San  Diego  with 
near  six  hundred  men ;  they  were  composed  of 
about  sixty  dismounted  dragoons,  sixty  volunteers, 
including  some  Indians,  and  the  rest  sailors  and 
marines.  There  was  a  battery  of  six  pieces  of 
various  calibre,  drawn  by  oxen,  and  a  baggage 
train  of  eleven  ox-carts  :  the  acting  infantry  force 
was  divided  into  four  bodies,  commanded  by  Captain 
Turner,  Lieutenant  Renshaw,  Navy,  Lieutenants 
Zielin  and  Gillespie,  Marine  Corps;  the  artillery  by 
Lieutenant  Tilghman,  of  the  Navy. 

The  march  and  camps  were  habitually  in  a 
hollow  square,  with  cattle  and  baggage  in  the  centre, 
artillery  at  the  angles.  They  camped  at  the  first 
watering  place,  the  Solidad,  at  8  o'clock,  P.  M.  Cap- 
tain Emory  as  adjutant-general,  had  been  "  ordered 
to    ride   forward    and    lay   out   a   defensive    camp, 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  265 

hoping  to  give  confidence  to  the  sailors,  many  of 
whom  were  now  for  the  first  time,  transferred  to  a 
new  element."* 

The  march  was  ten  or  twelve  miles  a  day. 

January  4th,  nine  miles  beyond  Flores,  they 
approached  a  defile  of  eight  miles,  the  road  being 
thrown  on  the  sea  beach  by  high  lands ;  they  were 
there  met  by  a  flag  of  truce,  bearing  a  letter  from 
Flores,  styling  himself  governor  and  captain-general 
of  the  department  of  California,  proposing  to  sus- 
pend hostllilies  in  the  department,  and  leave  the 
battle  to  be  fought  elsewhere  upon  which  was  to 
depend  the  fate  of  California  between  the  United 
States  and  Mexico.  The  commission  was  dismissed 
with  a  peremptory  refusal  of  the  proposition.  For- 
tunately the  little  army  found  low  tide  and  marched 
upon  the  hard  beaten  sand ;  they  met  no  opposi- 
tion, and  passed  beyond,  making  eighteen  miles 
that  day. 

January  6th,  after  a  long  march  camp  was  made 
at  the  upper  Santa  Anna,  which  was  deserted  by 
all  except  a  few  old  women,  who  had  bolted  their 
doors\  "such  was  the  unanimity  of  the  men,  women 

*  '•'  Notes  of  a  Military  Reconnoissance." 
12 


266  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

and  children,  in  support  of  the  war,  that  not  a  parti- 
cle of  information  could  be  obtained  in  reference  to 
the  enemy's  force  or  position." 

At  2  o'clock,  January  8th,  the  army  came  in 
sight  of  the  San  Gabriel  River,  where  the  enemy 
began  to  show  themselves.  "  The  river  was  about 
one  hundred  yards  wide,  knee  deep,  and  flowing 
over  quicksand  ;  either  side  was  fringed  with  a  thick 
undergrowth.  The  approach  on  our  side  was  level, 
that  on  the  enemy's  side  favorable  to  him.  A 
bank  fifty  feet  high  ranged  parallel  with  the  river, 
at  point  blank  distances,  upon  which  he  posted  his 
artillery."* 

General  Kearny's  account  of  the  action  which 
followed  is  embraced  in  his  short  official  report 
to  the  Adjutant-General,  which  should  be  here 
given  entire. 

Headquarters  Army  of  the  West,  Ciudad  de  Los  Angeles, 

Upper  California,  January  I2,  1847. 

Sir, — I  have  the  honor  to  report,  that  at  the  request  of 
Commodore  R.  F.  Stockton  (who  in  September  last  assumed 
the  title  of  Governor  of  California),  I  consented  to  take  com- 
mand of  an  expedition  to  this  place — capital  of  the  country — 
and  that  on   the  29th  of  December,  I  left  San  Diego  with  about 

*  "Notes  of  a  Military  Reconnoissance." 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  267 

five  hundred  men,  consisting  of  sixty  dismounted  dragoons, 
under  Captain  Turner ;  fifty  California  volunteers,  and  the  re- 
mainder of  marines  and  sailors,  with  a  battery  of  artiller)^  Lieu- 
tenant Emory,  topographical  engineers,  acted  as  assistant  adju- 
tant-general. Commodore  Stockton  accompanied  us.  We  pro- 
ceeded on  our  route  without  seeing  the  enemy  till  the  8th  instant, 
when  they  showed  themselves  in  full  force  of  six  hundred  mounted 
men,  with  four  pieces  of  artillery,  under  their  Governor 
Flores,  occupying  the  heights  in  front  of  us,  which  commanded 
the  crossing  of  the  river  San  Gabriel,  and  they  ready  to  oppose 
our  further  progress.  The  necessary  disposition  of  our  troops 
was  immediately  m.ade,  by  covering  our  front  with  a  strong 
party  of  skirmishers,  placing  our  wagons  and  baggage  train  in 
rear  of  them,  and  protecting  the  flanks  and  rear  with  the  re- 
mainder of  the  command.  We  then  proceeded,  forded  the 
river,  carried  the  heights,  and  drove  the  enemy  from  them  after 
an  action  of  about  one  and  a  half  hours,  during  which  they 
made  a  charge  upon  our  left  flank,  which  was  repulsed  ;  soon 
after  which,  they  retreated  and  left  us  in  possession  of  the  field, 
on  which  we  encamped  that  night. 

The  next  day,  the  9th  instant,  we  proceeded  on  our  march 
at  the  usual  hour,  the  enemy  in  front  and  on  our  flanks,  and 
when  we  reached  the  plains  of  the  Mesa,  their  artillery  again 
opened  upon  us,  when  their  fire  was  returned  by  our  guns  as 
we  advanced  ;  and  after  hovering  around  and  near  us  for  about 
two  hours,  occasionally  skirmishing  with  us  during  that  time, 
they  concentrated  their  force  and  made  another  charge  on  our 
left  flank,  which  was  quickly  repulsed  ;  shortly  after  which  they 
retired,  we  continuing  our  march  ;  and  in  the  afternoon  en- 
camped on  the  bank  of  the  San  Fernando,  three  miles  below 
this  city,  which  we  entered  the  following  morning  without 
molestation. 

Our  loss  in  the  actions  of  the  8th  and  9th  instant  was  small, 
being  one  private  killed  and  two  officers  (Lieutenant  Renshaw 
of  the  navy  and  Captain  Gillespie  of  the  volunteers)  and  eleven 
privates  wounded.  The  enemy  mounted  on  fine  horses  and 
being  the  best  riders  in  the  world,  carried  off  their  killed  and 


268  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

wounded,  and  we  know  not  the  number  of  them,  though  it 
must  have  been  considerable. 

Very  respectfully  your  obedient  servant, 
S.  W.  Kearny,  Brigadier-General. 
To  Brigadier-General  R.  Jones, 

Adjutant-General  United  States  Army,  Washington. 

In  fact,  while  marching  on  the  city,  on  the  loth, 
a  flag  of  truce  was  met,  and  a  verbal  agreement  was 
made  of  surrender  on  condition  of  respecting  persons 
and  property. 

The  town  was  deserted  by  many  of  its  regular 
inhabitants  ;  but  the  streets  were  found  ''  full  of  des- 
perate and  drunken  fellows,  who  brandished  their 
arms  and  saluted  us  with  .every  term  of  reproach. 
The  crest,  overlooking  the  town,  in  rifle  range,  was 
covered  with  horsemen,  engaged  in  the  same  hos- 
pitable manner  .  .  .  the  Californians  on  the 
hill,  did  fire  on  the  vaqueros.  The  rifles  were  then 
ordered  to  clear  the  hill,  which  a  single  fire  effected, 
killing  two  of  the  enemy.  .  .  Towards  the  close  of 
the  day  we  learned  very  certainly  that  Flores,  with  one 
hundred  and  fifty  men,  chiefly  Sonorians,  and  desper- 
adoes of  the  country,  had  fled  toward  Sonora,  taking 
with  him  four  or  five  hundred  of  the  best  horses  and 
mules  of  the  country,  the  property  of  his  own  friends."''* 

*  "  Notes  of  a  Militaiy  Reconnoissance." 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  269 

Next  day  Lieutenant  Emory  was  ordered  to 
select  a  site,  and  commence  a  fort  capable  of  defence 
by  one  hundred  men,  and  commanding  the  town  ;  it 
was  begun,  but  the  work  was  continued  only  for  a 
few  days.  Many  men  came  into  Los  Angeles  and 
surrendered  themselves. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Fremont  was  left  at  the 
mission  of  San  Fernando,  January  nth,  about  twen- 
ty-four miles  from  Los  Angeles,  having  been  six 
weeks  on  his  march  from  San  Juan,  near  Monterey. 

That  same  day  two  Californians  met  the  battal- 
ion, and  gave  information  of  the  two  days'  fighting, 
and  that  General  Kearny  and  Commodore  Stockton 
had  marched  into  Los  Angeles  the  day  before.  "  A 
little  farther  on,  we  met  a  Frenchman  who  stated 
that  he  was  the  bearer  of  a  letter  from  General 
Kearny,  at  Los  Angeles,  to  Colonel  Fremont.  He 
confirmed  the  statement  we  had  just  heard."* 

On  the  morning  of  the  13th,  two  Californian 
officers  arrived  at  the  mission,  to  treat  of  peace,  and 
a  consultation  was  held.  The  same  day  the  battal- 
ion marched  to  the  rancho  of  Couenga,  twelve  miles, 

*  "  What  I  saw  in  California,"  by  E.  Bryant,  p.  391. 


270  THE  CONQUEST  OF 

— half  way  to  Los  Angeles.      There,  terms  of  capitu- 
lation and  peace  were  agreed  upon,  viz. 

Articles  of  Capitulation  made  and  entered  into  at 
the  rancho  of  Couenga,  this  thirteenth  day  of  January,  eighteen 
hundred  and  forty-seven,,  between  P.  B.  Reading,  Major  Louis 
McLane,  Jr.,  commanding  Third  Artillery  ;  William  H.  Russell, 
ordnance  officer — commissioners  appointed,  by  J.  C.  Fremont, 
Colonel  United  States  Army,  and  Military  commandant  of 
California  ;  and  Jose  Antonio  Carrillo,  Commandant  squadron  ; 
Augustin  Olivera,  deputado — Commissioners  appointed  by  Don 
Andreas  Pico,  Commander-in-chief  of  the  Californian  forces 
under  the  Mexican  flag. 

Article  ist. — The  commissioners  on  the  part  of  the  Califor- 
nians,  agree  that  their  entire  force  shall,  on  presentation  of 
themselves  to  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont,  deliver  up  their  ar- 
tillery and  public  arms,  and  that  they  shall  return  peaceably  to 
their  homes,  conforming  to  the  laws  and  regulations  of  the 
United  States,  and  not  again  take  up  arms  during  the  war  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  Mexico,  but  will  assist  and  aid  in 
placing  the  country  in  a  state  of  peace  and  tranquillity. 

Article  2d. — The  commissioners  on  the  part  of  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Fremont  agree  and  bind  themselves,  on  the  fulfilment 
of  the  first  article  by  the  Californians,  that  they  shall  be  guaran- 
teed protection  of  life  and  property,  whether  on  parole  or  other- 
wise. 

Article  3d.  —That  until  a  treaty  of  peace  be  made  and 
signed  between  the  United  States  of  North  America,  and  the 
Republic  of  Mexico,  no  Californian,  or  any  other  Mexican  citi- 
zen shall  be  bound  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance. 

Article  4th. — That  any  Californian  or  citizen  of  Mexico,  de- 
siring, is  permitted  by  this  capitulation,  to  leave  the  country 
without  let  or  hindrance. 

Article  5th. — That  in  virtue  of  the  aforesaid  articles,  equal 
rights  and  privileges  are  vouchsafed  to  every  citizen  of  Califor- 
nia as  are  enjoyed  by  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  of  North 
America. 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  2/1 

Article  6th. — All  officers,  citizens,  foreigners,  and  others, 
shall  receive  the  protection  guaranteed  by  the  Second  Article. 

Article  7th. — This  capitulation  is  intended  to  be  no  bar  in 
effecting  such  arrangement  as  may  in  future  be  in  justice  re- 
quired by  both  parties, 

Ciudad  de  Los  Angeles,  Jan.  i6th,  1847. 

Additional  Article. — That  the  paroles  of  all  officers, 
citizens,  and  others  of  the  United  States  and  of  naturalized  citi- 
zens of  Mexico,  are  by  this  foregoing  capitulation  cancelled, 
and  every  condition  of  said  paroles,  from  and  after  this  date,  are 
of  no  further  force  and  effect,  and  all  prisoners  of  both  parties 
are  hereby  released. 

P.  B.  Reading,  Major,  Cal'a  Battalion. 
Louis  McLane,  Commander  Artillery. 
Wm.  H.  Russell,  Ordnance -Officer. 
Jose  Antonio  Carrillo,  Comd't  of  Squadron. 
AUGUSTIO  Olivera,  Deputado. 
Approved, 

J.  C.  Fremont,  Lieut.-colonel,  U.  S.  Army,  and 

Military  Commandant  of  California. 
Andres  Pico,  Commandant  of  Squadron,   and 
Chief  of  the  National  Forces  of  California. 

On  the  14th,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Fremont 
marched  his  volunteer  battalion  into  Los  Angeles, 
and  there  placed  them  in  temporary  quarters.  The 
capitulation  would  appear  not  to  have  been  signed  or 
approved  until  after  his  junction  with  the  forces  of 
General  Kearny  and  Commodore  Stockton. 

The  following  is  taken  from  an  official  report  of 
Commodore  Stockton  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
dated  January  15th,  1847: 


2/2  THE  CONQUEST   OF 

"  Jos6  Ma.  Flores,  the  commander  of  the  insurgent  forces, 
two  or  three  days  previous  to  the  8th,  sent  two  commissioners 
with  a  flag  of  truce  to  my  camp  to  make  a  '  treaty  of  peace/ 
I  informed  the  commissioners  that  I  could  not  recognize  Jose 
Ma.  Flores,  who  had  broken  his  parole,  as  an  honorable  man, 
or  as  one  having  any  rightful  authority,  worthy  to  be  treated 
with,  that  he  was  a  rebel  in  arms,  and  if  I  caught  him  I  would 
have  him  shot.  It  seems  that  not  being  able  to  negotiate  with 
me,  and  having  lost  the  battles  of  the  8th  and  9th,  they  met 
Colonel  Fremont  on  the  12th  instant,  on  his  way  here,  who  not 
knowing  what  had  occurred,  he  entered  into  capitulation  with 
them,  which  I  now  send  to  you  ;  and,  although  I  refused  to  do 
it  myself,  still  I  have  thought  it  best  to  approve  it." 

The  fact  that  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont  did 
not  treat  with  the  objectionable  Flores,  must  make 
it  certain  that  Commodore  Stockton  referred,  in  this 
report,  to  the  only  matter  of  importance,  that  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Fremont  made  a  treaty,  with  enemies 
he  had  never  met,  in  a  camp  twelve  miles  from  the 
capital  and  the  headquarters  of  two  superiors  in 
rank  and  civil  authority,  who  had  recently  fought 
and  defeated  them.  And  the  facts  shown,  make  it 
evident  that  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont  did  '*  know 
what  had  occurred,"  and  that  Commodore  R.  F. 
Stockton  knev;  that  it  was  so. 

The  Secretary  of  War,  in  his  instructions  to 
General  Kearny,  dated  June  3d,  1846,  informs  him, 
^'  It  is  expected  that  the  naval  forces  of  the  United 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  273 

States  which  are  now,  or  will  soon  be  in  the  Pacific, 
will  be  in  possession  of  all  the  towns  of  the  sea  coast, 
and  will  co-operate  with  you  in  the  conquest  of  Cali- 
fornia," and  further;  "should  you  conquer  and  take 
possession  of  New  Mexico  and  Upper  California,  or 
considerable  places  in  either,  you  will  establish  tem- 
porary civil  governments  therein." 

The  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  in  communicating 
instructions  addressed  to  Commodore  Stockton,  dated 
November  5th,  1846,  says  : 

"  The  President  has  deemed  it  best  for  the  public  Interests 
to  invest  the  military  officer  commanding-  with  the  direction  of 
the  operations  on  land,  and  with  the  administrative  functions  of 
government  over  the  people  and  territory  occupied  by  us.  You 
will  relinquish  to  Colonel  Mason,  or  to  General  Kearny,  if  the 
latter  shall  arrive  before  you  have  done  so,  the  entire  control 
over  these  matters,  and  turn  over  to  him  all  papers  necessary 
to  the  performance  of  his  duties." 

He  had  previously,  July  1 2th,  1846,  instructed 
the  commander  of  the  naval  forces:  ''For  your 
further  instruction  I  enclose  you  a  copy  of  confi- 
dential instructions  from  the  War  Department  to 
Brigadier  S.  W.  Kearny,  who  is  ordered,  overland, 
to  California.  You  will  also  communicate  your 
instructions  to  him,  and  inform  him  that  they  have 
the  sanction  of  the  President." 

12-^ 


274  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

And  August  13th,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy 
instructed  "The  senior  officer  in  command  of  the 
United  States  naval  forces  in  the  Pacific  Ocean  ; — 
The  President  expects  and  requires,  however,  the 
most  cordial  and  effectual  cooperation  between  the 
officers  of  the  two  services,  in  taking  possession  of, 
and  holding  the  ports  and  positions  of  the  enemy, 
which  are  designated  in  the  instructions  to  either  or 
both  branches  of  the  service,  and  will  hold  any 
commander  of  either  branch  to  a  strict  responsi- 
bility for  any  failure  to  preserve  harmony  and  secure 
the  objects  proposed." 

General  Kearny  having  now,  by  the  accession  of 
Fremont's  battalion,  sufficient  forces  for  service  on 
land,  asserted  his  rights,  as  necessary  for  the  per- 
formance of  the  duties  which  had  been  intrusted  to 
him,  to  "  establish  civil  governments."  Lieutenant 
colonel  Fremont  refused  to  report  to  him,  or  to  obey 
his  orders  ;  and  in  this  he  was  evidently  supported 
by  Commodore  Stockton. 

General  Kearny  was,  for  the  time,  utterly  power- 
less, and  on  the  i8th  of  January  set  out  with  his 
dragoon  escort  for  San  Diego,  and  sent  Captain 
Emory,  by  Panama,  with  dispatches  for  Washington. 


NEW   MEXICO  AND   CALIFORNIA.  2/5 

Next  day,  Commodore  Stockton  appointed  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Fremont,  Governor  of  California,  and 
set  out,  also,  for  San  Diego  where  his  squadron  lay  ; 
and  the  day  following  the  sailors  and  marines 
marched  to  embark  at  San  Pedro  to  rejoin  their  ships. 

January  22d  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont,  as 
"  Governor  and  Commander-in-chief  of  California," 
proclaimed  "  order  and  peace  restored  to  the  country." 

Commodore  Stockton,  in  his  latter  years,  was 
accounted  by  many  as  erratic,  and  at  times  beyond 
the  verge  of  reason. 

But  how  shall  be  explained  this  dangerous  indul- 
gence of  a  spurious  ambition,  by  a  character,  whom 
the  people  of  the  United  States  saw  fit  afterward  to 
place  in  very  great  prominence  ?  Did  he  have  un- 
bounded trust  in  an  influence  which  had  shown  such 
friendly  potency  in  the  outset  of  his  California  career? 

Do  the  Spainards  take  every  where  a  moral 
contagion?  or  does  the  arid  atmosphere  of  their 
chosen  abodes, — in  Mexico,  in  California,  as  in  Spain, 
— so  peculiarly  affect  the  brains  of  men,  as  to  make 
these  countries  the  lands  of  pronunciamentos  and 
anarchy  ?  "^ 

*  All  the  world  knows  that  an  investigation  that  same  year  of 


276  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

Hostilities  were  not  confined  to  Southern  Cali- 
fornia. While  General  Kearny  was  marching  on 
Los  Angeles,  one  Don  Francisco  Sanchez,  at  the 
head  of  a  hundred  men,  held  sway  for  a  time  in  the 
country  about  San  Francisco  and  Monterey.  Besides 
other  Americans  whom  he  held  prisoners,  he  cap- 
tured Lieut.  Bartlett,  of  the  Navy,  acting  alcalde  of 
San  Francisco.  Then  Captain  Marston,  Marine 
corps,  was  sent  against  him  from  San  Francisco, 
with  one  hundred  marines  and  volunteers,  and  a 
piece  of  artillery.  January  2d,  he  met  him  on  the 
plains  of  Santa  Clara ;  after  an  action  of  an  hour, 
with  small  loss  on  either  side,  Sanchez  retreated 
and  the  same  evening  sent  by  a  flag,  a  request  for 
an  armistice  and  conference.  Next  day  Marston 
was  joined  by  a  company  of  mounted  volun- 
teers, under  Lieut.  Maddox,  Marine  corps,  from 
Monterey. 

January  8th,  the  Californians  gave  up  Lieutenant 
Bartlett  and  other  prisoners,  surrendered  a  field- 
piece  and  other  arms,  and  disbanded. 

Col.  F.'s  conduct  at  this  time  by  a  general  court  martial,  resulted  in 
his  conviction  of  mutiny  and  disobedience  of  orders,  and  sentence 
of  dismissal  from  the  army. 

Commodore  Stockton  escaped  a  trial. 


new  mexico  and  california.  277 

Dangerous  Consequences  of  the  Mutiny. 
An  Interregnum. 

The  narrative  of  the  march  of  the  infantry  bat- 
taHon  under  Lieutenant-colonel  Cooke,  was  closed 
at  its  arrival  at  the  Mission  of  San  Diego,  January 
29th,  1847,  ^"d  his  report  in  person  to  General 
Kearny  the  same  evening  at  San  Diego. 

General  Kearny  could  in  no  way  authorize  re- 
cognition of  the  usurpation  then  existing ;  he  in- 
structed Lieut.-colonel  Cooke  to  march  to  the  mission 
of  San  Luis  Rey,  fifty-three  miles  from  San  Diego, 
on  the  road  to  Los  Angeles,  and  there  to  quarter 
his  battalion  ;  to  await  events  and  further  orders,  but 
to  exercise  such  authority  and  power  as  might 
become  necessary  in  his  judgment,  under  unforeseen 
circumstances  of  national  interests  and  defence. 

Most  fortunately.  Commodore  Shubrick  was 
then  expected  at  Monterey,  as  commander  of  the 
Pacific  squadron.  The  opportunity  of  a  vessel  of 
war  sailing  the  next  day  for  Monterey,  offering 
itsel-f,  General  Kearny  embarked,  January  30th,  for 
that  port. 

Lieut.-colonel  Cooke  was  thus  left  in  the   com- 


'^'j'^  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

mand  of  the  only  troops  in  California  that  had  been 
mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States ;  a 
i&v^  dragoons,  and  a  battalion  of  volunteers,  which 
up  to  that  time  had  never  had  opportunity  to  re- 
ceive regular  instruction  in  arms. 

Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont, — eighty-eight  miles 
north  of  San  Luis  Rey, — was  in  command  of  a  "  bat- 
talion," only  provisionally  in  the  service;  of  men 
more  ignorant  of  military  law  and  discipline  than 
their  commander,  (who  had  never  served  but  as  a 
detached  topographical  engineer,)  but  they  were 
personally  dependent  on  him  and  devoted  to  his 
fortunes ;  and  Fremont  claimed  absolute  authority, 
civil  and  military,  in  the  Territory. 

But  to  complete  the  situation.  A  few  days 
before  a  body  of  enemies  superior  in  number  to 
both  battalions, — half  savage  and  raised  to  arms, — 
quite  accustomed  to  seditions  and  revolutions,  had 
disbanded  under  a  capitulation  made  under  the  de- 
pression of  their  defeat,  but  without  much  loss,  by 
large  forces  which  then,  near  by,  held  their  capital. 
That  force  had  now  been  reduced  to  the  small  un- 
disciplined battalion  of  Fremont.  These  insurgents 
knew    well   the  dissensions    and    divided   authority 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  279 

among  their  enemies ;  they  had  retained  their  arms, 
and  were  now,  professedly,  only  waiting  expected 
reinforcements  from  Mexico  to  renew  the  war. 

The  battalion  accordingly  marched  to  San  Luis 
Rey,  and  took  quarters  in  the  Mission  buildings,  in 
the  first  days  of  February.  The  mission  is  beautifully 
situated,  overlooking  fertile  and  well  watered  lands ; 
even  the  high  hills  showing,  by  their  smoothness, 
the  former  cultivation,  in  wheat.  It  is  only  two  or 
three  miles  distant,  but  does  not  command  a  view 
of  the  ocean.  This  immense  mission  structure, 
with  an  imposing  church  in  an  angle,  built  about 
sixty  years  previously,  was  found  in  good  condition ; 
buildings,  and  corral  and  garden  wall-tops  as  well, 
protected  by  roofs  of  red  tiles.  In  the  centre  of  the 
main  court  was  an  orange  tree  with  ripening  fruit ; 
pomegranate  trees  were  in  their  beautiful  blossom. 
There  were  other  courts, — one  for  cattle.  The  bat- 
talion found  ample  quarters.  There  was  a  large 
garden  and  vineyard,  enclosed  by  handsome  walls. 

The  absence  of  forest  trees  is  a  very  character- 
istic feature  of  California ;  grey  squirrels,  which 
seemed  identical  with  the  tree  species,  were  here 
found,  but  necessarily  burrowing  in  the  earth. 


28o  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

Lieut.-colonel  Cooke  immediately  commenced 
a  thorough  practical  instruction  of  the  battalion  in 
tactics ;  the  absence  of  books  made  it  a  difficult  and 
laborious  task, — teaching  and  drilling  officers  half 
the  day,  and  superintending,  in  the  other  half,  their 
efforts  to  impart  what  they  had  just  imperfectly 
learned.  But  all  were  in  earnest,  and  in  a  very  few 
weeks  the  complete  battalion  exercises  were  mas- 
.tered. 

The  "  Secretary  of  State  "  stopped  at  the  mis- 
sion the  evening  of  February  2ist;  sent,  he  said 
from  the  capital  to  represent  the  government  at 
a  ball  to  be  given  February  22d,  by  Commodore 
Stockton  at  San  Diego.  He  stated  that  two  com- 
panies of  Californians  had  been  raised  for  service ; 
that  any  attack  to  displace  the  present  government 
would  be  resisted  by  force,  that  a  thousand  natives 
would  rise  to  support  Colonel  Fremont.  But  his 
opinions  and  assertions  were  equally  unreliable. 
But  about  that  time  there  was  good  evidence  that 
many  inhabitants  pretty  openly  asserted  that  they 
would  rise  again,  if  any  assistance  came  from  So- 
noma. 

Major  Swords,  Quarter-master,  who  was  sent  to 


NEW    MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  28 1 

the  Sandwich  Islands  for  provisions  and  specie, 
arrived  at  San  Diego  February  19th  with  flour, 
sugar,  etc. 

In  my  diary  I  find  for  March  1st :  ''  Last  night  two 
more  famihes,  passing,  applied  for  the  use  of  quar- 
ters, and  several  officers  gave  up  to  them  their 
rooms.  They  have  spent  here  much  of  the  day. 
They  travel  in  carts  drawn  by  oxen  ;  the  '  mode'  too 
at  Constantinople  and  in  New  Mexico.  But  these 
carts  are  superior  to  the  New  Mexican's,  and  contain 
mattresses, — which  with  blanket  awnings,  must  make 
them  rather  comfortable.  The  travelers  were  of  the 
best  class,  and  the  ladies  were  handsome. 

This  contrast  of  ox  carts  to  male  locomotion  here, 
is  extreme.  On  our  march  I  was  startled  by  a 
party  of  men  riding  at  full  gallop  to  meet  us,  and  driv- 
ing twenty  or  thirty  horses  ;  it  was  one  or  two  proprie- 
tors traveling,  with  their  servants  ;  then  I  saw  two  of 
the  men  dash  into  the  drove,  swinging  their  lazos,  with 
which  they  caught  two  loose  horses  ;  very  quickly 
they  transferred  the  equipments  of  those  they  had 
ridden, — which  were  then  turned  loose  to  rest  them- 
selves— at  the  gallop  !" 

Next  day,  Sefior  Bandini,  of  San   Diego,  called ; 


282  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

— a  member  of  the  "  legislative  council ;"  it  ap- 
peared from  his  statements  that  the  Frigate  Con- 
gress was  about  to  sail ;  that  there  was  a  small  troop 
of  native  volunteers  at  the  place,  whose  commander 
had  written  by  him — to  Colonel  Fremont — that 
they  must  speedily  disperse,  from  want  of  pro- 
visions. 

An  officer  and  thirty-two  men  were  sent  from 
San  Luis  Rey,  the  following  morning,  March  3d,  to 
take  post  there,  for  protection  of  the  town  and  of  a 
provision  depot. 

There  were  reports  then,  from  two  sources,  of 
the  approach  of  a  force  from  Sonora. 

The  killing  of  a  beef  presented  a  characteristic 
trait  of  Californians  ;  the  vaquero  pursuing  the  herd 
at  full  speed  with  lazo  flying,  catches  one  by  a 
fore  leg,  and  throws  it  with  a  tremendous  shock  :  he 
then  cuts  its  throat.  The  lazo  is  also  used  for  the 
rare  occasion  of  catching  and  milking  a  cow,  which 
has  to  be  tightly  bound  after  being  caught. 

March  gth. — **  A  frost  last  night  ;  many  of  the 
men,  volunteers  and  dragoons,  have  long  been  bare- 
footed !  they  march  on  guard  barefooted  :  none  have 
overcoats;  the  volunteers  never  had  them  ;  those  of 


NEW   MEXICO  AND   CALIFORNIA.  283 

the  dragoons  were  burnt.  There  is  no  public  money, 
for  pay,  or  for  purchase  of  provisions.  I  feed  four 
hundred  men  at  a  cost  to  government  of  four  and  a 
half  cents  a  day  each  ;  this  being  the  value  of  four 
pounds  of  beef.  The  Californians  pay  their  Indian 
servants  with  aguadiente  ;  a  sort  of  fiery  whiskey 
which  they  distil. 

March  \2th. — "  For  forty  days  I  have  commanded 
the  legal  forces  in  California, — the  war  still  existing  ; 
and  not  pretending  to  the  highest  authority  of  any 
sort,  have  had  no  communication  with  any  higher, 
or  any  other,  military,  naval,  or  civil.  .  .  I  have 
put  a  garrison  in  San  Diego  ;  the  civil  officers,  ap 
pointed  by  a  naval  officer,  otherwise  refusing  to 
serve  ;  while  a  naval  officer  ashore,  is  styled  by  some, 
"  Governor  of  San  Diego." 

General  Kearny  is  supreme — somewhere  up  the 
coast  ;  Colonel  Fremont  supreme  at  Pueblo  de  los 
Angeles;  Commodore  Stockton  is  "Commander 
in-chief"  at  San  Diego; — Commodore  Shubrick,  the 
same  at  Monterey,  and  I,  at  San  Luis  Rey  ; — and 
we  are  all  supremely  poor ;  the  government  having 
no  money  and  no  credit ;  and  we  hold  the  Territory 
because  Mexico  is  poorest  of  all. 


284  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

I  rode  to  the  seashore  this  afternoon,  ana  saw  the 
spouting  of  whales." 

March  i^tk. — Major  H.  S.  Turner,  as  Adjutant 
General,  arrived  at  San  Luis  Rey,  the  bearer  of  news 
and  an  important  document :  the  announcement,  in 
both  languages,  of  the  assumption  of  government, 
and  all  legal  authority,  naval  and  military,  by  Com- 
modore Shubrick  and  General  Kearny,  at  Monterey, 
now  the  capital. 

Commodore  Shubrick  arrived  there  January  23d, 
and  February  1st,  issued  a  general  order,  as  Com- 
mander-in-chief; it  announced  the  arrival  of  Captain 
Tompkins'  company  of  United  States  Artillery,  and 
discharged,  with  commendation  and  thanks,  Mad- 
dox's  volunteers. 

This  was  some  weeks  before  General  Kearny's 
arrival  at  Monterey. 

But  now  a  "  circular "  was  published,  dated 
March  ist,  signed  by  Commodore  Shubrick,  "Com- 
mander-in-chief of  the  Naval  Forces,"  and  General 
Kearny,  "  Brigadier-general  and  Governor  of  Califor- 
nia." It  announced  that,  "  to  the  Commander-in- 
chief  of  the  Naval  Forces  the  President  has  assigned 
the  regulation   of  the  import  trade,  the  conditions 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  285 

on  which  vessels  of  all  nations,  our  own  as  well  as 
foreign,  may  be  admitted  into  the  ports  of  the  terri- 
tory, and  the  establishment  of  all  port  regulations. 

"  To  the  commanding  military  officer  the  presi- 
dent has  assigned  the  direction  of  the  operations  on 
land,  and  has  invested  him  with  administrative  func- 
tions of  government  over  the  people  and  territory 
occupied  by  the  forces  of  the  United  States." 

This  a  recital  of  facts  well  known  from  the  first. 

There  was  further,  the  proclamation  of  General 
Kearny  as  Governor. 

It  was  long ;  it  "  absolved  all  the  inhabitants  of 
California  from  any  further  allegiance  to  the  Repub- 
lic of  Mexico,  and  will  consider  them  as  citizens  of 
the  United  States."  .  .  .  *'  The  Americans  and 
Californians  are  now  but  one  people  ;  let  us  cherish 
one  wish,  one  hope,  and  let  that  be  for  the  peace 
and  quiet  of  our  country.  Let  us,  as  a  band  of 
brothers,  unite  and  emulate  each  other  in  our  exer- 
tions to  benefit  and  improve  this  our  beautiful,  and 
which  soon  must  be,  our  happy  and  prosperous 
home." 

It  contained  scarcely  any  allusion  to  existing  dis- 
sensions, and  this  probably  was  the  reason  that  it  did 


286  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

not  end  them  ;  those  most  unselfishly  devoted  to  the 
safety  of  public  interests,  felt  the  imperative  policy 
of  concealing  them ;  they  observed  their  effect  as 
temptations  to  compHcations  involving  bloodshed, 
and  a  thorough  alienation  of  a  simple  minded  popu- 
lation, and  possibly  the  advantage  of  the  uti  possi- 
detis at  the  treaty  of  peace,  the  period  of  which  was 
beyond  any  conjecture  in  California.  The  reader 
must  have  observed  the  almost  permanent  severance 
of  communication  with  the  eastern  side  of  the  conti- 
"  nent  ;  let  him  consider  that  Commodore  Stockton 
seems  to  have  been  six  or  eight  weeks  officially 
ignorant  of  Commodore  Shubrick's  presence  very 
far  short  of  the  other  extremity  of  the  territory 
itself. 

Major  Turner,  who  came  by  way  of  Los  Angeles, 
was  bearer  of  a  general  order,  placing  Lieut.-colonel 
Cooke  in  command  of  the  southern  half  of  Cali- 
fornia ;  and  he  informed  him  that  he  had  brought 
orders  to  Lieut.-colonel  Fremont  to  disband  his  bat- 
talion, but  that  those  men  desiring  it,  should  be 
mustered  into  public  service.  If  he  failed  to  obey, 
Captain  Turner  was  instructed  to  notify  General 
Kearny  at  Monterey,  by  express. 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  287 

Lieutenant-colonel  Cooke  immediately  sent  a 
courier  to  Colonel  Fremont,  to  ascertain  what  number 
of  the  men  had  been  mustered  into  service.  The 
answer  was  by  a  "  governor,"  through  his  "  secretary 
of  state,"  that  none  had  consented  to  enter  the 
public  service ;  but  as  rumors  of  insurrection  were 
rife,  it  was  not  deemed  safe  to  disband  them.  He 
asked  for  no  assistance,  under  the  dangerous  circum- 
stances; but  on  the  contrary,  added  that  the  "bat- 
talion would  be  amply  sufficient  for  the  safety  of  the 
artillery  and  ordnance  stores." 

Meantime  Captain  Turner  had  returned  to  Los 
Angeles,  and  there  being  convinced  that  Lieutenant-  j 
colonel  Fremont  did  not  intend  to  obey  the  orders, 
set  out  himself,  express,  for  Monterey ;  this  being 
made  known  from  the  many  horses  driven  according 
to  the  custom.  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont  set  out, 
half  a  day  later,  and  rode  to  Monterey  in  four  days  ; 
but  on  arriving  there  he  found  that  Captain  Turner 
had  also  arrived,  several  hours  before  him.  Never- 
theless, it  appeared  that  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont 
satisfied  General  Kearny  that  he  would  obey  orders, 
and  was  suffered  to  return. 

But    Lieutenant-colonel    Cooke   had    decided   to 


288  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

march  to  Los  Angeles,  and  he  reached  there  the  23d 
of  March  ;  he  was  poHtely  met,  at  the  edge  of  town, 
by  Captain  Gillespie,  who  informed  him  that  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Fremont  had  left  for  Monterey  the 
day  before.  The  battalion  was  formed  in  line  in  the 
main  street ;  then  the  dragoons  were  quartered  in  a 
government  building,  and  the  battalion  went  into 
camp  in  the  edge  of  the  town. 

The  same  day  the  alcalde  waited  on  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Cooke  and  informed  him  of  frequent  depre- 
dations by  Indians,  and  that  by  last  accounts,  they 
were  in  possession  of  his  rancho,  about  thirty-five 
miles  distant.  Next  morning,  a  Lieutenant  and 
thirty  dragoons,  mounted,  were  sent  to  investigate 
the  matter, — and  to  act  according  to  circumstances. 

The  following  is  extracted  from  Lieutenant-col- 
onel Cooke's  diary,  March  24th  : — 

*'  x\fter  breakfast  I  rode  out  to  the  San  Gabriel 
mission  ;  it  is  a  beautiful  plain,  somewhat  undulating, 
eight  miles  to  that  point ;  it  is  part  of  the  great 
*'  Mesa,"  but  there  is  a  low  ridge  of  green  hills  ;  the 
pin  grass  I  found  most  luxuriant.  As  I  approached 
the  base  of  the  mountain,  I  came  in  view  of  the 
woods  of  the  San  Gabriel  River  and  its  pretty  valley, 


NEW   MEXICO  AND   CALIFORNIA.  289 

or  meadow-land.  Some  two  miles  this  side,  stands 
the  old  mission,  to  which  water  is  brought  by  a 
canal.  There  were  the  usual  appearances  of  old 
fields  and  plantations, — and  olive  trees,  dates,  cactus 
hedges,  etc.  ;  a  good  large  church,  with  pilasters  ; 
the  buildings  looked  dingy  and  dilapidated,  and 
above  all,  very  dirty  ;  the  heads  and  offal  of  slaugh- 
tered beeves  were  lying  in  disagreeable  vicinity. 

''  I  fell  in,  on  the  road,  with  a  gentlemen  who  said 
he  was  the  adjutant,  and  seemed  very  ignorant  of 
the  true  state  of  affairs,  and  asked  what  was  the  dif- 
ficulty between  General  Kearny  and  Commodore 
Stockton.  He  had  not  seen,  he  said,  either  the 
circular  of  the  Governor  and  Commodore  Shubrick, 
or  Tenth  Military  Department  Order  No.  Two,  rela- 
tive to  the  mustering  the  battalion  into  service,  etc. 
I  showed  them  to  him.  All  the  volunteers  I  saw, 
seemed  very  polite,  and  even  friendly.  I  went  in  to 
see  Captain  Owens,  in  command  of  the  battalion. 
Lieutenant  Davidson  and  Assistant-surgeon  Sander- 
son were  with  me  the  whole  time  ;  Captain  Owens 
expressed  the  same  ignorance  of  the  circular  and  the 
order;  I  showed  them  to  him  ;  the  order  he  looked 
at  a   long  time,  but  I  am  very  much  mistaken  if  he 


290  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

turned  the  leaf  (it  was  on  two  sides  of  a  leaf).  I 
mentioned  that  they  were  not  really  in  the  United 
States  service,  unless  for  the  purpose  of  being 
marched  to  a  point  to  be  discharged  ;  I  said  I  had 
an  idea  of  putting  some  of  my  battalion  out  there; 
he  said  there  was  no  room  for  them,  that  there  was 
not  room  enough  for  all  the  battalion  (the  adjutant 
had  told  me  that  the  battalion  was  now  two  hun- 
dred and  six  in  number).  I  asked  the  captain,  who 
seemed  very  shy,  to  show  me  the  buildings,  etc. 
He  conducted  me  through  his  room  into  the  court, 
where  I  saw  the  artillery  and  examined  it ;  I  re- 
marked to  him  that  there  were  the  two  howitzers 
belonging  to  the  dragoons,  and  asked  Mr.  Davidson 
if  one  of  them  was  not  so  much  out  of  order  that  it 
could  not  be  taken  to  town  ?  and  then  said  to  Cap- 
tain Owens  that  I  had  directed  that  some  mules 
should  be  brought  out  to  take  those  two  pieces  in, 
to-day.  He  observed  that  he  had  received  special 
orders  from  Colonel  Fremont  not  to  turn  over  any 
of  the  artillery  to  any  one,  and  that  he  could  not 
let  it  go.  I  told  him  that  the  government  authori- 
ties, the  general  of  the  army  and  governor,  had  com- 
mitted the  command  here   to  mt\  and  asked  him  if 


NEW   MEXICO  AND   CALIFORNIA.  29! 

he  did  not  acknowledge  the  authority  of  the  United 
States  Government?  He  said  it  was  hard  to  know 
what  was  the  legal  authority, — he  knew  none  but 
Colonel  Fremont ;  he  regarded  him  as  the  chief  mili- 
tary authority  in  this  country.  I  asked  him  what 
could  convince  him  ?  v/hat  evidence  he  wanted  ?  I 
took  out  and  read  to  him  the  printed  circular  and  the 
Department  Order  ;  told  him  that  these  were  the 
highest  authorities  by  land  and  sea  ;  told  him  that 
Colonel  Mason  had  lately  came  out  express  with  the 
fresh  orders  of  the  government ;  that  Fremont  him- 
self had  so  far  obeyed  as  to  drop  his  title  of  gov- 
ernor, and  had  gone  to  Monterey  to  report  himself. 
He  said  he  did  not  know  what  Colonel  Fremont 
had  gone  for ;  that  he  would  soon  return, — that  he 
ranked  me,  and  he  did  not  know  but  what  Colonel 
Fremont  had  received  other  orders  since  the  date 
of  order  No.  Two,  etc.,  etc.  I  very  coolly  and  in 
perfect  tem.per,  exhausted  every  information,  every 
argument,  every  appeal  to  his  patriotism, — every 
m.otive  in  this  distant  land,  for  obedience  and  union 
amidst  enemies;  pointed  out  the  disastrous  conse- 
quences likely  to  ensue  to  public  interests  and  to 
persons,  by  this  treasonable  course.    In  vain  ;  he  had 


292  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

received  Fremont's  orders  to  obey  none  other,  and 
nothing  more  would  he  do.  He  had  offered  to 
show  me  the  orders,  and  I  finally  told  him  I  would 
look  at  them.  ...  It  was  a  letter  of  instructions 
to  Captain  Owens ;  after  stating  he  was  about  to 
make  a  tour  to  the  northern  district,  on  matters 
connected  with  his  military  duties,  it  proceeded  to 
five  or  six  paragraphs  of  special  orders ;  one  was  to 
the  effect  that  he  was  to  obey  the  orders  of  no  offi- 
cers, not  coming  expressly  from  him  ;  another  that  he 
was  to  retain  charge  of  all  the  ordnance,  and  to 
deliver  it  to  no  corps  without  express  orders  from 
him. 

The  President  of  the  United  States,  in  person, 
would  fail  to  get  the  artillery,  or  be  obeyed  by  Cap- 
tain Owens  with  his  battalion,  until  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Fremont  gave  the  permission  !  I  asked  for 
pen  and  ink  to  take  a  copy  of  the  orders ;  he  de- 
clined. I  told  Captain  Owens  that  it  was  an  illegal 
order ;  that  we  all  bound  ourselves  to  obey  the  le- 
gal orders  of  our  superiors  ;  and  that  Colonel  Fre- 
mont could  not  defeat,  or  release  the  obligation.  I 
told  him  I  had  no  personal  motives  ;  that  I  only 
looked  upon  him  as  an  American,  whom  I  met  as  a 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  293 

friend  far  from  home,  and  advised  him,  by  my  expe- 
rience of  twenty  years'  service,  to  think  better  of  it. 
All  was  vain  ;  these  people,  very  many  of  them  good 
well-meaning  citizens  have,  it  would  seem,  been 
cruelly  and  studiously  deceived.  ...  I  took  my 
leave."* 

The  "  Secretary  of  State  "  disappeared  at  the 
approach  of  the  battalion,  leaving  a  report  that  he 
had  left  for  the  United  States;  a  number  of  horses 
also  had  been  taken  from  the  mission  ;  but  there 
was  evidence  of  his  still  being  somewhere  about  Los 
Angeles. 

March  2^th. — The  severe  frosts  of  the  early  part 

*  The  late  Hon.  T.  H.  Benton,  as  advocate,  and  as  Senator,  in 
his  many  speeches  against  General  Kearny,  made  the  point  that  the 
author  had  in  some  way,  been  instructed  by  him  to  "  crush  "  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Fremont  ;  the  failure  only  arising  from  the  author's 
imputed  want  of  force  of  character.  But  as  Colonel  Fremont  had 
disappeared  at  his  approach — had  gone  to  report  to  his  legal  com- 
mandei- — allusion  must  have  been  made  to  the  author's  brooking  the 
mutinous  conduct  of  the  ignorant  Owens. 

Could  insanity  have  gone  farther  than  that  a  half  of  the  dimin- 
utive forces  holding  the  doubtful  conquest  of  so  distant  a  province, 
should  resort  to  force  of  arms  (evidently  unnecessaiy,  as  the  event, 
easily  foreseen,  proved)  against  the  other  half,  and  in  the  presence  ot 
armed  and  eager  enemies  ! 

The  "conveniently  missing"  diary  was  also  remarked  upon.  It 
had  been  sunk  in  crossing  a  river,  near  Sutter's  Fort  ;  but  having 
been  searched  for,  and  found  by  Sutter's  Indians,  had  not* then  been 
received  or  heard  from. 


294  'fHE  CONQUEST   OF 

of  this  month  were  unexampled,  for  any  season  oi 
the  year  ;  it  appeared  that  the  young  orange  trees 
were  much  injured  ;  and  citrons,  bearing  at  once 
flowers  and  fruit,  were  to  be  seen  frost-bitten  to 
near  the  root.  But  the  orange  groves  of  the  vicin- 
ity were  unharmed. 

"  Our  Httle  rivers,  the  San  Fernando  and  the  San 
Gabriel,  approaching  in  broad  sweep,  unite  six  miles 
below,  and  are  lost  in  the  earth  before  reaching  the 
ocean ;  it  is  probable  that  the  beautiful  plain,  nearly 
circular  and  eight  miles  across,  can  be  irrigated; 
then,  flourishing  like  a  garden,  and  overlooked  by 
the  snowy  mountain,  it  might  rival  in  beauty,  as  it 
must  resemble,  that  of  Grenada.  It  is  a  happiness  to 
breathe  the  air,  which  gently  stirs  the  vineyards  and 
orange  groves." 

An  express  was  sent  to  Monterey  with  a  report 
of  the  attitude  of  the  immigrant  "battalion." 

March  27th,  the  troops  were  moved  to  a  carefully 
selected  spot  commanding  the  town. 

"  This  place,  whether  the  '  Paris  of  California  '  or 
not,  is  a  hot  bed  of  sedition,  and  originates  all  the 
rebellions  or  revolutions;  and  women,  they  say,  play 
an  influential  part.     It  has  come  to  my  knowledge 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  295 

that  the  common  talk  is  of  the  affair  of  the  refused 
cannon;  and  that  there  soon  will  be  more  'fun'; 
but  they  add  that  the  Californians  will  join  the  men 
at  San  Miguel.     That  sounds  badly." 

Captain  Smith  returned  the  28th  ;  he  had  gone 
above  sixty  miles;  he  only  discovered  four  Indians, 
who  had  murdered  one,  and  wounded  another  man, 
and  had  stolen  their  animals ;  they  were  afoot,  and 
ran  to  the  near  hills  ;  the  dragoons  pursued  and  sur- 
rounded them,  dismounted.  The  Indians,  lying  on 
their  backs,  defended  themselves  with  arrows, 
which  they  shot  with  wonderful  rapidity,  wounding 
two  of  the  men  and  several  horses ;  they  would 
not  surrender  and  were  all  killed  ;  they  were 
naked,  or  had  rabbit  skins  slung  at  their  backs,  as 
their  sole  covering.  Some  twenty  horses  were  re- 
covered. 

"  The  dragoon  horses  came  back  with  feet  so 
worn  as  to  make  the  most  of  them  lame  and  use- 
less. I  shall  to-morrow  commence  the  introduction 
of  horse-shoes  in  California,  at  least  in  this  southern 
part.  It  would  not  suit  the  views  of  the  Treasury 
Department  to  furnish  two  or  three  horses  per  man, 
California  fashion  ;  and  it  might  not  be  of  military 


296  THE  CONQUEST   OF 

convenience.'  (The  attempt  failed  for  want  of 
proper  iron.) 

Some  Californians,  this  day  rode  out  of  town,  at 
full  speed,  under  fire  of  a  few  dragoons,  a-foot,  who 
had  been  ordered  to  arrest  them  ;  they  had  assault- 
ed a  countryman  for  having  taken  part  with  the 
Americans.  It  appears  that  an  old  regulation,  clos- 
ing drinking  saloons  on  Sundays,  has  of  late  months 
been  abrogated,  and  with  very  bad  effects. 

Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont  returned  to  Los 
Angeles  March  30th. 

Colonel  R.  B.  Mason,  first  dragoons,  had  been 
sent  to  California  in  consequence  of  General  Kear- 
ny's request  to  be  relieved  so  soon  as  peace  and 
order  should  follow  on  the  conquest  of  California. 
He  was  now  sent  to  Los  Angeles,  as  an  officer  se- 
nior in  army  rank  to  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont,  to 
enforce  the  discharge  of  the  "  battalion,"  and  obe- 
dience to  other  orders.  The  New  York  regiment  of 
volunteers,  Colonel  Stevenson,  had  arrived  at  Mon- 
terey ;  and  two  companies  had  taken  post  at  Santa 
Barbara,  and  one  at  San   Diego. 

During  all  this  period  there  were  depredations 
by  wild  Indians,  and  exaggerated  reports,  and  appli- 


NEW   MEXICO   AND    CALIFORNIA.  297 

cations  for  military  aid  and  protection,  to  the  com- 
mander at  Los  Angeles;  Captain  A.  J.Smith  was 
sent  to  Cajon  Pass,  March  31st,  with  forty  dragoons, 
in  consequence  of  repeated  calls  for  protection  from 
an  invasion  of  Piute  Indians  on  the  settlements  of 
that  vicinity. 

The  authority  of  Colonel  Mason  proved  sufficient, 
with  some  difficulty,  for  the  discharge  of  Lieuten- 
ant-colonel Fremont's  men ;  and  ten  pieces  of 
cannon  were  brought  from  the  mission  to  Los  An- 
geles. Only  twenty-five  horses  were  delivered. 

Indian  murders  and  depredations  seemed  to 
increase;  it  was  believed  that  a  body  of  Utahs,  from 
far  beyond  the  Territory,  had  invaded  it.  Colonel 
Mason,  exercising  a  civil  authority,  addressed  to  al- 
caldes requisition  to  furnish  Lieut.-colonel  Cooke 
with  all  the  men  and  horses  he  should  demand.  An 
expedition  dependent  upon  this  aid  was  planned  by 
the  latter,  but  failed  for  want  of  cooperation  ;  but  a 
company  of  the  Mormon  battalion  was  sent,  April 
nth,  to  establish  a  post  at  the  Cajon  Pass. 

*'  The  view  from  the  hill  overlooking  the  town  is 
fine  ;  the  white-walled  village  is  fully  revealed,  as  at 
your  feet ;  the  meadows  of  the  bright  stream,  inter- 

n* 


298  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

sected  by  many  *  live  fence '  enclosures  of  vineyards, 
gardens  and  orchards  ;  the  Mesa  extending  above 
twenty  miles,  and  the  ocean  beyond  ;  on  two  sides, 
smooth  green  hills  swell  into  mountains,  which  have 
the  rich  blue  tints  of  a  pure  atmosphere,  and  are 
capped  with  snow-fields." 

Report  was  received  that  the  people  near  Cajon 
Pass  refused,  at  first,  to  sell  cattle  ;  and  will  not 
send  them  to  the  post. 

It  is  known  that  Indians — all  savages — are  very 
sympathetic  with  any  warHke  cotnmotions  ;  these  ev- 
idently stir  within  them,  and  encourage  their  natu- 
ral passions,  and  their  cherished  habits.  It  is  prob- 
able that  they  were  now  thus  incited  to  very  unusual 
activity  of  aggression.  But  here,  as  in  New  Mexico, 
the  Mexican  power  habitually  ignored  any  duty  of 
protection  against  them ;  and  certainly  now,  the 
people  were  entirely  remiss  in  any  cooperation  for 
their  own  protection,  even  in  the  matter  of  their 
abundant  horses  ;  and  more,  a  general  backwardness 
or  unwillingness  to  sell  horses  for  government  use. 
Thus  perhaps  their  applications  and  reports  should 
have  been  treated  with  indifference ;  and  there  were 
indications,  as  there  was  rumor,  of  bad  influences,  of 


NEW   MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  299 

subtle  intrigue.  It  was  perhaps  a  mistake  in  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Cooke,  to  yield,  as  far  as  he  did,  to  his 
instincts  of  military  protection. 

April  igth. — "  The  irrigating  canals  are  a  source 
of  considerable  trouble  and  vexation  ;  not  only  as  to 
distribution  into  fair  shares,  but  in  the  matter  of 
drinking,  when  foul  clothes  have  been  washed  above. 

"  The  native,  of  the  best  class,  on  occasion  of  cere- 
mony is  picturesque  as  well  as  very  fine  in  costume. 
As  a  horseman  he  wears  ever  a  jacket,  but  an  or- 
namental one  ;  the  trousers  are  open  on  the  outer 
seams  nearly  to  the  waist,  with  many  buttons, 
chiefly  for  ornament ;  they  show  thus,  very  white 
fine  and  voluminous  drawers.  They  wear  also,  silk 
sashes  of  bright  colors  (from  China).  Stamped 
leather  leggings,  wonderful  spurs,  and  the  sombrero 
complete  the  picture." 

It  was  ascertained,  April  20th,  that  two  men,  in 
advance  of  a  party  of  eleven,  had  arrived  in  Los 
Angeles  from  Sonora,  and  had  presented  passports 
to  the  alcalde, — who  made  no  report.  The  men 
were  confined,  and  examined  separately ;  one  of 
them  had  a  passport  which  had  been  sent  to  him  by 
Lieutenant-colonel   Fremont ;    he  had    been   a   cap- 


300  THE  CONQUEST  OF 

tain  in  the  late  hostilities, — and  the  other  had  been 
engaged  in  them,  and  wounded;  giving  a  good 
account  of  themselves,  they  were  released.  But  im- 
mediately after,  it  was  reported  through  town  that 
General  Bustamente  was  approaching  California  at 
the  head  of  a  military  force, — and  then  more  defi- 
nitely, a  force  of  fifteen  hundred  men. 

An  intelligent  Spanish  gentleman  was  communi- 
cated with ;  he  gave  positive  information  that  the 
Mexican  Government  had  appropriated  $6oo,000 
toward  this  expedition,  and  that  artillery  and  other 
arms  and  stores,  had  been  collected  at  Acapulco ; 
and  also  that  one  Limentura,  whose  vessel  had  lately 
been  seized  at  San  Pedro,  had  brought  commissions, 
of  high  rank,  for  Californians.  This  gentleman  de- 
tailed extraordinary  indications,  in  the  southern 
district,  of  an  expected  resort  to  arms,  and  was  of 
opinion  that  there  would  be  an  insurrection,  whether 
external  aid  came  or  not,  unless  the  American  forces 
were  increased  in  this  quarter ;  that  the  natives  no 
more  regarded  the  troops  at  Monterey  than  if  they 
were  at  Boston. 

It  was  soon  ascertained  that  Limentura  had 
landed  cannon,  etc.,  at  San  Vincente  or  San  Thomas 


NEW   MEXICO  AND   CALIFORNIA.  301 

— twelve  miles  apart — and  near  the  Lower  Califor- 
nia line.  There  was  a  general  excitement,  and 
threatening  demonstrations,  accompanying  these 
reports,  whether  true  or  false.  BflDCTOft  Libmrv 

All  measures  of  precaution  were  immediately 
but  very  quietly  taken  ;  an  officers'  party  of  dra- 
goons was  sent  to  Warner's  rancho,  Agua  Caliente, 
to  patrol  the  Sonora  road  as  far  as  the  desert  ;  the 
company  at  Cajon  Pass  was  withdrawn,  the  park  of 
artillery  was  brought  from  camp  into  town,  to  the 
dragoon  quarters,  and  three  pieces  manned  by  dra- 
goons. The  construction  of  a  fort  on  the  hill,  fully 
commanding  the  town,  which  had  been  previously 
determined  upon,  was  begun,  and  a  company  of 
infantry  there  posted.  An  express  was  sent  to  the 
commanding-general  at  Monterey. 

A  communication  was  also  sent  to  Commodore 
Stockton,  still  at  San  Diego,  giving  full  and  minute 
information  of  the  landing  of  the  stores ;  and  inform- 
ing him  that  the  lower  road,  easiest  for  General 
Bustamente,  if  coming,  fell  into  the  coast  road  at 
San  Vincente ;  it  was  suggested  that  it  would  be  well 
to  send  the  sloop  Julia^  very  quietly,  to  capture  the 
cannon  and  stores. 


302  THE   CONQUEijT   OF 

Meanwhile  the  patrol  had  observed  a  collection 
of  horses,  which  were  being  driven  for  concealment 
into  canons  ;  and  a  traveller  from  Santa  Barbara 
encountered  twenty  armed  men,  with  the  Mexican 
flag  displayed.  A  race  was  announced  at  Santa 
Anna,  eight  or  ten  miles  from  Los  Angeles,  for 
Sunday  April  25,  and  without  the  license  required 
by  Mexican  law  and  usage.  It  was  not  stopped  ; 
and  it  was  attended  by  nearly  all  the  males  of  Los 
Angeles  (including  some  confidential  observers). 
This  meeting  was  kept  up  until  late  at  night ;  and 
undoubtedly  it  was  then  decided  to  await  the  act- 
ual arrival  of  reinforcements  from  Mexico.  Lieu- 
tenant-colonel Fremont,  two  weeks  previously,  had 
informed  Colonel  Mason  that  his  business  would  be 
finished  in  two  or  three  days,  when,  as  ordered,  he 
would  set  out  for  Monterey  ;  but  he  still  lingered  at 
Los  Angeles. 

April  28th,  an  answer  was  received  from  Com- 
modore Stockton ;  he  promised  to  sail  to  find  and 
seize  the  deposit  of  arms,  as  soon  as  he  could  get 
the  Congress  out  of  the  harbor;  he  added,  **  if  Bus- 
tamente  comes  this-  road,  he  will  not  go  far  without 
some  broken  shins  and  bloody  noses."     The  Julia 


came  to  San  Pedro,  April  30th,  Lieutenant  Selden 
commander,  bringing  an  application  from  Commo- 
dore Stockton  for  four-pounders,  to  be  used  against 
Bustamente ;  he  had  sailed  in  the  Congress.  As 
most  of  the  ammunition  at  Los  Angeles  was  for 
four-pounders,  they  were  not  sent. 

A  report  was  received,  May  3d,  through  the 
best  available  sources  of  information,  that  General 
Bustamente  had  crossed  the  Gulf,  near  its  head,  in 
boats  of  the  pearl  fishers ;  and,  at  last  information 
was  at  a  rancho  on  the  western  coast,  seventy 
leagues  below  San  Diego.  The  same  day  a  return 
courier  from  Monterey  gave  information  that  two 
companies  of  the  New  York  volunteers  would  be 
sent  to  Los  Angeles. 

The  arrival  of  large  reinforcements  from  New 
York,  and  the  preparations  for  his  reception,  are 
among  the  probable  causes  of  the  miscarriage  of 
General  Bustamente's  expedition. 

Meantime,  while  immigration  had  been  largely 
increasing,  San  Francisco,  whose  existence  counted 
by  months,  showed  great  vitality  and  growth  ;  fifty 
houses  had  gone  up  in  a  month  ;  its  population  was 
American  ;  General  Kearny,  aided  by  the  arrival  of 


304  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

troops  and  large  amounts  of  mechanical  means,  and 
stores  of  all  sorts,  was  fast  establishing  confidence 
and  order  throughout.  March  loth,  following 
Mexican  law  and  custom,  he  granted  to  the  town  of 
San  Francisco, — to  be  sold  at  auction  for  its  benefit, 
— the  beach  and  water  lots ;  thus  providing  for 
wharves  and  docks,  for  the  accommodation  of  a 
commerce  which  was  growing  beyond  all  precedent ; 
merchant  vessels  were  arriving  almost  daily  ;  already 
the  editor  of  a  newspaper  there  established,  was 
predicting  its  destiny  to  be  the  ''  Liverpool  or  New 
York  of  the  Pacific  Ocean." 

In  March,  also,  General  Kearny  inaugurated  the 
first  beginning  of  a  mail  service  in  the  Territory;  a 
horse  mail  was  established  every  two  weeks  each 
way,  between  San  Francisco  and  San  Diego. 

General  Kearny  arrived  at  Los  Angeles  May  9th  ; 
he  had  come  to  San  Pedro  in  the  store-ship  Lexing- 
ton ;  and  with  him  were  Colonel  Stevenson  and  two 
companies  of  the  New  York  regiment.  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Fremont  was  then  sent  to  Monterey  to  be 
thence  ordered  to  Fort  Leavenworth. 

The  General  and  Governor  was  at  this  time  look- 
ing to  his  speedy    return,  overland,  to  the  United 


NEW    MEXICO   AND   CALIFORNIA.  305 

States  ;  availing  himself  of  the  permission  accorded 
to  his  application  made  at  Santa  Fe,  to  return  "  in 
the  event  of  our  getting  possession  of  Upper  Califor- 
nia— of  establishing  a  civil  government  there, — se- 
curing peace,  quiet  and  order  among  the  inhabitants, 
and  precluding  the  possibility  of  the  Mexicans  again 
having  control  there." 

The  time  of  service  of  the  Mormon  battalion  ex- 
pired in  July,  and  the  acceptance  of  the  resignation 
of  its  Lieutenant-colonel  commanding  having  been 
earnestly  urged  by  him,  in  order  that  he  might  also 
return  by  this  opportunity,  it  was  accepted  by 
General  Kearny,  May  13th,  and  he  embarked,  next 
day,  with  him  and  his  suit,  on  the  Lexington  at  San 
Pedro  for  Monterey. 

After  a  pleasant  voyage,  lengthened  by  calms, 
the  Lexington  sailed  into  the  picturesque  but  not 
always  safe  bay  and  harbor  of  Monterey,  May  27th. 
*'  A  most  beautiful  view  presented  itself;  in  the 
foreground  eight  vessels  of  war  and  some  merchant- 
men were  riding  at  anchor;  beyond,  the  green 
slopes  of  the  town  and  its  environs,  enclosed  by 
a  perfect  semi-circle  of  rounded  hills,  chequered 
and   sprinkled   with    the   dark   pines.     Nature   with 


306  THE   CONQUEST   OF 

its  graceful  variety  here  outdid  itself  in  a  dis- 
tribution of  slope  and  grove,  valley  and  hill- 
top, which  formed  a  combination  of  the  unsought 
effect,  which  taste  and  art  could  not  equal  on  this 
scale  of  magnificence ;  a  grandeur,  which,  stopping 
short  of  the  sublime,  is  the  perfection  of  the 
beautiful." 

The  Columbus,  ninety  guns,  was  then  in  the 
harbor,  and  Commodore  Biddle  was  Naval  Com- 
mander-in-chief. 

Leaving  Colonel  R.  B.  Mason,  First  Dragoons, 
Military  Commander  and  Governor,  in  his  place. 
General  Kearny,  May  31st,  with  numerous  officers, 
constituting,  with  attendants,  about  forty  men,  (ex- 
clusive of  Lieutenant-colonel  Fremont's  large  party), 
and  divided  into  convenient  small  messes,  set  out 
upon  what  proved  a  hard  ride ;  one  which  averaged 
thirty-three  miles  a  day  for  eighty- three  days,  with- 
out one  of  rest.  Their  provisions  were  exhausted, 
while  in  a  corner  of  the  territory  of  the  Oregon  of 
that  day;  but  they  soon  met,  as  expected,  the  head 
of  the  great  column  of  migration,  extending  then 
perhaps,  a  thousand  miles. 


NEW   MEXICO  AND   CALIFORNIA,  307 

The  sequel  of  the  mihtary  conquest  is  told  in 
few  words ;  for  the  poor  natives  of  that  great  coun- 
try, and  all  their  discontent  and  restlessness,  their 
hatred,  threats,  and  seditions,  were  soon  to  be  over- 
whelmed and  extinguished,  as  by  the  stroke  of 
Fate.  Two  men,  discharged  from  the  Mormon  bat- 
talion, and  employed  by  Captain  Sutter  to  dig  a 
mill-race,  a  few  months  later  discovered,  in  prodigal 
abundance,  placer  GOLD. 


33^^'- 


THE   END. 


m^ 


^:^ 


